Rooftops
by onlyGodcanjudgeme
Summary: An old friend changes everything for the first season family, especially Richie. AU. Finally complete.
1. Life

Disclaimers: (That I resent doing cos everyone knows I own nothing) Everything you recognise = not mine. Anything you don't recognise = mine.  
  
General info on my thoughts on the series: Archangel never happened. I have never seen the episode and am amazingly good at lying to myself, therefore Richie Ryan is as alive and kicking as myself. The sixth season, again I haven't seen it so it hasn't happened. However I am going to go off on a completely separate tangent with this fic, but thought I'd just share my feelings on that.  
  
This story is set three months after my first one (Revenge is sweet...) and eight months before the episode The Darkness.(I know I'm messing up the time line but that's the joy of fanfic, I can) However as I said this is going to be AU, but for my purposes this story is leading up to that episode.  
  
Chapter one  
  
The afternoon had dragged. There had been three customers since lunchtime and non of them had bought anything. So all in all, Richie decided he had definitely just wasted one of the sunniest afternoons in Seacouver history.  
  
Not that he had any right to complain. He had offered to look after the store for Mac and Tessa while they went to some charity lunch that he himself really wanted to avoid at all costs. Dressing up in a suit and tie just really wasn't him, and Mac would have been shooting him evil looks across the table all afternoon for messing with the tie... So really, complete boredom was better than that.  
  
Mac and Tessa arrived home just as Richie was closing up.  
  
"Busy afternoon?" Mac asked when he saw the bored expression on Richie's face when he walked in.  
  
"Oh yeah. Rushed off my feet. Barely had a second to myself all afternoon." Richie answered with just a hint of sarcasm evident in his voice.  
  
"You should have come to lunch with me and Duncan," Tessa said as she breezed past him. "we had a lovely time."  
  
"I'm sure you did," Richie said following her and Mac to the apartment. "I however would have been more miserable than -"  
  
"Whatever you're going to say, don't say it," Mac warned.  
  
"What?" Richie asked innocently.  
  
"You know what," Mac said, the smallest hint of a smile on his lips.  
  
Richie started to say something but stopped when someone knocked on the door. "I'll get it," he said.  
  
Richie bounded up to the door and pulled it open. "Angie," he said surprised. Usually she always called before turning up in case they were out.  
  
"Hey Rich. You busy right now?" Angie asked, not quite making eye contact.  
  
"Not really. Do you wanna come in?" Richie was trying to hide the suspicion he felt. Angie had obviously come here with something on her mind and was still trying to decide how best to say it. Whatever it was.  
  
"Yeah. If you're sure you're free. I could always come back later..."  
  
"Now's fine." Richie assured her, stepping aside to let her in. Angie took a few steps before noticing Mac and Tessa.  
  
"I've come at a bad time," She started.  
  
"Of course you haven't," Tessa said warmly. "Duncan and I just got in. We were thinking about starting dinner. Would you like to stay?"  
  
"I don't know," Angie said, shooting a look at Richie.  
  
Now Richie really was suspicious. Angie was nervous. She had never been nervous around Mac or Tessa before and she was certainly never nervous around him. Something was going on.  
  
"Angie. What's the matter? Why are you acting all weird?" Richie asked, deciding the direct approach would be the best thing.  
  
"I'm not acting weird!" Angie said defensively.  
  
"Well you're certainly not acting like you." Richie pointed out, ignoring the look Mac and Tessa were sharing.  
  
"As if you'd know anymore." Angie said, starting to get angry.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Richie demanded.  
  
"When was the last time you came to see any of us?" Angie asked. "It's been months Richie. Have you just forgotten about all of us? The old neighbourhood not good enough for you anymore? Or do you just wanna cut off all ties with your past?"  
  
"It's not like that and you know it!" Richie said, trying and failing miserably to control his temper.  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"Yes! And this goes both ways Angie. I got stabbed four months ago and I never saw any of you then."  
  
Angie went quiet for a minute. "I didn't know what to say to you. You know I'm no good at that sort of thing."  
  
"Yeah," Richie sighed. "I do. And I'm not holding it against you, and I'm not turning up at your home to have a go at you for it."  
  
"That's not why I'm here," Angie said dismissively. "All that stuff just came out. It's a defence mechanism. You should recognise them, you taught them to me."  
  
"So why are you here?" Richie asked.  
  
Angie took a deep breath. "You should probably sit down."  
  
Richie narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Just trust me please Richie," Angie said.  
  
Richie took a seat at the kitchen table.  
  
"Would you like some privacy?" Tessa asked. She was still looking uncomfortable from having witnessed the argument between Richie and Angie.  
  
"No, you may aswell stay," Angie said.  
  
Mac and Tessa took a seat next to Richie and all three turned to look expectantly at her.  
  
"Ok, so this isn't a huge deal Richie, remember that. And a lot of time has passed and we're all different people now. And maybe we'd all do things differently if we could go back in time, but we all have to live with the mistakes we made and do the best we can."  
  
"Angie?" Richie said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Just spit it out."  
  
"Ok. Ok. Spitting it out now..." Angie took a deep breath. "Kate's back."  
  
Richie had no idea what reaction Angie was expecting. He had no idea what reaction to give. That was the last thing he expected to hear.  
  
"Kate? Katie? Katie who we knew when we were nine? My Katie?"  
  
Angie nodded. "That'd be the one."  
  
"When?" Richie asked. "When did she come back?"  
  
"Last week," Angie answered. "But I never saw her until yesterday. I asked if she'd come to see you, but she didn't know where you lived. And she didn't know if you'd want to see her. You guys didn't have the best of partings you know."  
  
"Yeah, I think I can vaguely remember that," Richie snapped, and instantly regretted doing it. It wasn't Angie's fault. At least she'd come and told him. "I'm sorry. I just didn't expect you to say that."  
  
"It's ok." Angie shrugged. "But I think I'm gonna go now. I said if you wanted to see her I'd give her your number. So call me and let me know ok?"  
  
Richie nodded.  
  
"I'll see you out." Tessa said standing and walking Angie to the door.  
  
"Are you all right?" Mac asked Richie when Angie was out of ear shot.  
  
"Yeah," Richie said. "I'm in shock, but I'm ok."  
  
"Who is Katie?" Mac asked.  
  
"Kate," Richie corrected absently. "I'm the only one she ever let call her Katie."  
  
"So who is Kate?" Tessa asked retaking her seat at the table.  
  
"She was my neighbour when I was nine. I was staying with this ok foster family and her parents moved to Seacouver from England. They were only here for a year. Her dad died in a car accident and her mom decided to go back to England. I haven't seen Katie since." Richie told them.  
  
"And what was so bad about your parting?" Mac asked.  
  
Richie almost smiled at the memory that surfaced. "Katie taught me how to steal. She taught me nearly everything I know on breaking and entering. She was a bad influence on me."  
  
"I find that hard to believe," Tessa said with a smile.  
  
"Nah, seriously." Richie said. "I didn't have a clue until I met her. Thing is, she came form a really good family. Well respected and such."  
  
"Let me guess," Mac said. "They caught her stealing and you got blamed?"  
  
"Got in one. Troubled foster kid or respected girl from a good family. Who would you believe?" Richie asked sourly.  
  
"Didn't Kate take responsibility for her own actions?" Tessa asked, clearly shocked at the thought.  
  
"To be fair she tried to, I wasn't even with her that night. But I still got the blame. They all figured I must have taught her, not the other way round. So I got sent back to the orphanage and she went home to England with her evil witch of a mother and I never heard from her again."  
  
"I still don't understand why Angie would think you wouldn't want to see her now. Surely if she is here she must want to see you." Tessa said.  
  
"I told Angie after Katie went that I never wanted to see her again, that I hated her. It hurt so much to lose her, so I decided the best way to deal with it was to forget her. After that we never spoke of her again. I guess Angie's just remembering what I said. And someone's probably told Katie what I said by now."  
  
"Do you still feel like that?" Mac asked.  
  
Richie shrugged. "I don't think I ever really felt like it in the first place..."  
  
"So phone Angie and tell her to give Kate your number. What's the worst that can happen?"  
  
"Katie could hate me? Her mom could hunt me down and disembowel me? Her gran could - "  
  
"But realistically?" Mac interrupted before Richie got into full swing.  
  
"Realistically? What if we don't have the same connection we had before? What if we don't like each other?" Richie didn't even want to consider that. Despite everything Katie had always been his best friend. The one person he would sometimes lie in bed thinking about when he couldn't sleep. What was he going to do If she wasn't everything he remembered her to be?  
  
"And if you don't take the chance?" Tessa asked gently. "Could you live with not knowing what could have been?"  
  
Well of course he couldn't... But he just knew that somehow he was going to regret this. 


	2. Thinking

Paris will be included later on. So will some other destinations.  
  
Chapter two  
  
Richie phoned Angie the next morning.  
  
"I'm sorry about last night," She said when he said hello. "All that stuff I said. I was horrible for no reason."  
  
Her words had been playing on his mind. It was true he didn't go into the old neighbourhood very often anymore, but who in their right mind would? Sometimes he did miss his old friends, some of them anyway, but there were so many bad memories there for him. Besides that, his friends knew where he was. If they wanted to see him they could come to him...  
  
"Don't worry about it," Richie said. "It doesn't matter."  
  
"You say that now, but later on will you hold it against me? Cos I only said that stuff cos I was worried about telling you Kate was back."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Richie assured her, not fully meaning it himself but wanting Angie to believe him.  
  
"Ok then, Angie didn't sound convinced, but it was good enough for him. "SO how come you're phoning?"  
  
Like she didn't know... "I want to see Katie." Richie said quickly before he changed his mind.  
  
"Really? So I can give her your number?" Angie asked sounding surprised.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Really?" she said again.  
  
"Yes really. Angie you're acting weird again." Richie said.  
  
"I didn't expect you to forgive her so soon that's all. You normally make people work for it. Guess she really was special huh?"  
  
There was something weird about the voice Angie was using. She was surprised. But there was something else there... jealousy?  
  
"She never really did anything wrong.." Richie tried to explain.  
  
"Like that ever made a difference before. I'll get her to call you. Bye."  
  
Angie had hung up before Richie could say anything else, leaving him feeling thoroughly confused. Richie stared at the receiver for a long time before he finally replaced it.  
  
*****  
  
"You should have given him the day off. His mind is not on his job," Tessa said to Duncan. They were in the office, glancing every now and then at Richie who had been polishing the same surface for ten minutes.  
  
"He wanted to do something to keep his mind off Kate," Duncan said frowning. If he kept that off there'd be nothing left to polish...  
  
"And if a customer comes in?" Tessa asked. "What then? He will probably short change them. Or try and sell them his can of polish!"  
  
"If a customer comes in I'll go and give him a hand," Duncan said, knowing Tessa was probably right. Richie's mind was on Kate and it had been since Angie's visit the day before. Now Richie was waiting for Kate to call him and the tension was nearly unbearable.  
  
"I think you should go and distract him," Tessa said decisively. "I will look after the store."  
  
Duncan raised an eyebrow. "I don't think he'll like that."  
  
"Well don't give him a choice." Tessa said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Why don't you distract him, and I'll keep an eye on the store?" Duncan suggested.  
  
"Because you are better at these things," Tessa said with a wave of her hand.  
  
Duncan would have argued the point some more, had a smashing sound not sent them rushing into the store.  
  
"Don't panic," Richie said before they even came into view. It was only a coffee cup, no priceless antique in pieces on the floor."  
  
Tessa shot Duncan a look and went to help Richie clean up the broken glass from the floor.  
  
Deciding Tessa was at least right about distracting Richie, Duncan put a hand on Richie's shoulder.  
  
"Come on, you're taking the day off," Duncan said when Richie looked up.  
  
"To do what? I'll just be thinking about her all day." Richie protested.  
  
"And you aren't anyway?" Tessa asked indicating the broken glass on the floor. "Go with Duncan, make the most of it while you can," She added with a smile.  
  
Richie really was a smart kid and realised that when he was being double teamed by Duncan and Tessa he may aswell admit defeat.  
  
*****  
  
Richie gave Mac points for attempting to keep his mind off Katie. After about half an hour though he had given in and was now asking about her instead.  
  
"That's her," Richie had managed to dig out the one photo of Katie he hadn't thrown away after she'd left. It was creased and didn't show her at her best, but it was still her.  
  
Mac took the photo and looked at it. "Is that you with her?" he asked with a smile.  
  
"Yep." Richie said, thinking back to the day the picture had been taken. Katie was grounded for spraying the cat with green hair spray. Richie was bored without her and so had decided the best thing to do was spring her from her room. Richie's room and Katie's room were next door to each other. The windowsill outside his bedroom ran across to Katie's aswell. It hadn't taken long at her window to convince her to climb out and join him on the roof. She had just had a birthday and had got a new camera she wanted to try out. The picture Mac held in his hand was the picture they had taken that day.  
  
"She's pretty," Mac said handing back the photo.  
  
"Yeah," Richie said accepting the photo. A nine year old Katie had her arm wrapped around Richie's shoulders. She was smiling at the camera, her mahogany brown hair falling across her face. Richie remembered now how windy that day had been and how cold they had been on the roof, but neither wanted to go in because it mean being on their own again.  
  
"She left not long after that was taken," Richie said putting the photo in a drawer. "She stole a scarf from the mall. First time she'd even got caught. Her dad had just died and so she'd been careless. Her mom totally freaked out and they were on a plane not even two weeks after. I wasn't allowed to see her or talk to her."  
  
"That must have been hard for you," Mac said sympathetically.  
"Yeah. I kinda freaked too. But I got over it. I mean I had other problems to deal with. Like being back at the orphanage."  
  
"It wouldn't stop you missing her," Mac said softly.  
  
"No. I guess not."  
  
"So are you going to see her?" Mac asked. "When she calls you?"  
  
"I think so," Richie shrugged. "I mean it can't hurt can it? Like you said, what's the worst that could happen? I'll talk to her on the phone first then it won't be as weird when I see her."  
  
*****  
  
Everytime the phone rang Richie jumped. It was never Katie though. By ten PM that night Richie was fully prepared to give up. Maybe she would call tomorrow, but it was highly unlikely to happen that night.  
  
Richie was watching TV with Mac and Tessa on the sofa. Some mind numbingly boring program about some long dead artist Tessa had studied in school and that Mac had probably met. He just had to get the energy to move and go to bed...  
  
The door bell went.  
  
"Don't look at me," Richie said, if he couldn't make himself get up to go to bed he certainly wasn't going to get up and answer the door. "Noone comes here for me at this time of night."  
  
"Or me," Tessa said.  
  
"Shall I get it then?" Mac asked them, getting up and heading to the door. Richie turned his attention back to the dead artist program.  
  
"Richie," Mac called from the front door.  
  
"Richie's not here right now," Richie called back.  
  
"Richie..." warning tones and a disapproving look from Tessa.  
  
Richie sighed and gathered his energy to get off the sofa and drag himself to the door. If it was Angie coming to apologize for being short with him earlier he was going to kill her.  
  
"Yes Mac?" Richie asked yawning.  
  
"You have a visitor." Mac said stepping away from the door.  
  
The first thing that Richie noticed was her eyes. They were such a wonderful shade of dark blue...  
  
"Katie?"  
  
"I'm supposed to call I know, but," Katie shrugged and smiled shyly. "This way we get the awkward first meeting out of the way without the awkward first phonecall."  
  
She looked the same as she had when she was nine, except she was taller obviously. Her mahogany coloured hair was still half way down her back, her eyes were still framed by long dark lashes. She still bit her bottom lip when she was nervous, as she was doing now. And she was still as beautiful as ever.  
  
"Are you mad? Would you have preferred the phonecall?" Katie asked and Richie realised he hadn't said anything for a long time.  
  
"No, it's fine," Richie managed to say. "I just didn't expect you. Now."  
  
"I didn't expect to come now. But I was worrying about seeing you so I thought I'd just get it over with."  
  
"Wow. I feel special now," Richie said, but smiled as he said it.  
  
"You know what I mean," Katie said smiling back.  
  
"Yeah." Richie nodded, he did. He always knew what Katie meant... "Do you want to come in?"  
  
"I dunno. It's late and you guys are busy," Katie said looking over Richie's shoulder at Mac and Tessa, who were quite openly watching Richie and Katie.  
  
"We aren't busy," Tessa said. "And it is late and you shouldn't be out on your own at this time of night. So you come in and have a drink then Duncan can take you home."  
  
Katie looked questioningly at Richie.  
  
"You heard the lady," Richie shrugged.  
  
Richie led Katie into the living room. Mac and Tessa made themselves scarce in the kitchen.  
  
"This feels weird," Katie said after a moment of silence stretched between the two of them.  
  
"Yeah it does," Richie agreed. There was ten years of separation between and Richie had no idea how to bridge the gap.  
  
"It's strange because we were always so close. And now we hardly know what to say to each other." She looked so upset.  
  
"A lot has happened since we were kids," Richie said.  
  
"Yeah I know. But I'm still me. Pretty much the same girl that used to sit on rooftops with you in all weather. The only difference is I don't bite my nails anymore and you have shorter hair."  
  
"That's not the only difference Katie," Richie said. He didn't want to make this difficult for her, she was obviously trying, but it was important that she understand that he wasn't the same kid she'd left behind. He was different now. And she had to be too.  
  
"You're different. I'm different. Stuff's happened. None of it means we can't be friends again."  
  
"We can't be like we used to be though. We can't go back."  
  
Katie shook her head. "I don't want to go back. I want to go forward. And I want you in my future. I've thought about you everyday since I left. My life's not right without you in it. That's why I'm here now. The question is do you want me in your life again?  
  
Richie swallowed. Did he want her? For all he knew her mom could just turn up again and insist she go back to England. Could he handle getting close to her once more just to lose her again? He didn't think so...  
  
But hadn't living with Mac and Tessa taught him anything? Not everyone was going to leave him. Katie had been nine years old. A child. She hadn't had a say ten years ago. Now she was an adult. Noone could make her do anything she didn't want to. And when had Katie ever lied to him?  
  
"I want you in my future Katie. I always have," Richie answered her.  
  
Katie broke into a huge grin and after a very brief pause she flung her arms around his neck.  
  
Richie returned the hug, thinking she smelt faintly of peaches.  
  
Now he knew life was about to get even more complicated than before. 


	3. Katie

Chapter three  
  
Kate accepted the tea Duncan offered her. She looked nervous, but was determined to talk to Richie no matter what, and that, it seemed, included facing Tessa and Duncan's questions at the same time.  
  
"So Kate. What brings you back to America?" Tessa asked. She had sat herself next to Richie and had a hand resting on his knee.  
  
"Couple of reasons," Kate said sipping her tea. "I wanted to come back and see our old house. Visit the place we scattered my dad's ashes. Kinda go over the life I had here for a year. And," Kate looked directly at Richie. "I wanted to see Richie."  
  
Richie smiled at her. Duncan was surprised at how quickly he had relaxed in Kate's company, once the first few minutes had passed.  
  
"Why now?" Duncan asked Kate, trying to sound interested and not come across as a protective parental type figure. Though that was exactly how he felt at the moment and from the look on Tessa's face and the positioning of her hand she felt the same way.  
  
Kate took a deep breath, a sad expression on her face. "Because I could now," She said. "I sat my A levels in June. I got my results in August. I wanted to be at home when they arrived so I could celebrate with my friends. Then it was my Gran's birthday in September. I had to be home for that. She isn't well and it was important for both of us that we spend it together. Then I had to sort out living arrangements over here. That took me a little while." Kate paused and looked directly at Richie again before continuing.  
  
"And I wanted to be at home for my mums anniversary. She died on November 7th last year."  
  
"Katie..." Richie whispered, shocked. He took hold of her hand. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
"I'm ok," Kate said squeezing his hand. "I am. She had breast cancer so we had time to prepare..."  
  
"It must have been hard though," Tessa said sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah," Kate nodded. "But I got through it. She made me promise I'd live my life without regrets. And that if I had any I'd go back and fix them if I could. I couldn't change the hurt I caused my mum by stealing and breaking and entering. But I did make it up to her. And I can't change the fact that I haven't been in your life for ten years Richie. I can only try and make it up to you like I made it up to my mum."  
  
"You don't have to do anything Katie," Richie said softly. "You're the best friend I ever had and I really missed you. But it wasn't your fault, I get that. You came back and found me. We can go on from today."  
  
Kate smiled brightly. "You have no idea how happy I am that you just said that." Her expression changed again into a sort of frown. "I don't want you to hate my mum for taking me away either. She did the only thing she felt she could at the time."  
  
Richie face darkened noticeably. "She wouldn't listen to us Katie. She jumped to conclusions -"  
  
"And blamed you completely unfairly. I know. She knew. At the end anyway," Kate added. "But think about it from her point of view for a minute. My dad, her husband had just died. Then her little girl gets brought home by the police for shop lifting. I'm from strong Catholic family Richie. I was brought up with Christian values. As far as my mum knew I was a good little Catholic girl. She had no idea that her nephew had taught me how to pick pockets when I was eight. Or break into a house at nine. She didn't know I had no faith in God or the church because I never told her. She was grieving for her husband and she reacted unfairly. You got blamed. And I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry I taught you to steal. I'm sorry I couldn't make my mum see that it was me not you. I'm sorry for all of that but I can't change it now."  
  
"When did she start believing you?" Richie asked, still looking thoroughly unimpressed.  
  
Sighing Kate stood up and started to pace.  
  
"I got caught shoplifting at home and she knew then that I was to blame. When my cousin was arrested for stealing cars she found out he taught me everything I knew. I've never seen anyone look at me with such disappointment in their eyes. I hated myself then. Ten years old and I hated myself. I had so little self respect after that. It took me years to sort out my life. To make myself happy again. How could I get in touch with you if I was so miserable in my own life? I couldn't. It's my fault we've been apart this long. Not my mums. Please don't blame her Rich."  
  
The note of pleading was obvious in her voice. She was staring at Richie now, her eyes begging him to understand.  
  
"You were unhappy?" Richie asked.  
  
Kate nodded. "Why do you think I learnt to steal? I was happy when I was with you. But at night when I was alone in my room I wasn't."  
  
"Why?" Richie got to his feet.  
  
"Like I told you. I was brought up to believe in God." Faith said softly, stopping her pacing and facing Richie. "My mum had faith. My dad had faith. Even my cousin, the one who taught me to steal, he still went to church every week. But me... I had no faith. It didn't ring true to me. I didn't believe. And so I went to church every week, made my first communion, went to confession, played the part. Did everything right on the outside. But inside I wasn't. It was tearing me apart. I thought faith was something I could learn. But I finally figured that wasn't how it worked. After I figured that out I started to sort everything out. I made it up to my mum and I started to realise I had a lot to be happy about."  
  
"I never realized," Richie said, quietly.  
  
"That's because when I was with you I was always happy." Kate said with a small smile." You made me forget my problems and just let me be me. I could be real with you. That's why I couldn't come back till I was sorted. I wanted to be me with you. Love me or hate me, I wanted to be me."  
  
"Like I could ever hate you," Richie said.  
  
"Angie thought you might," Kate said.  
  
"Angie was wrong," Richie said firmly. "I know why she thought that," Richie added. "But I don't. I never have. I was mad at your mom. But not you. I'm glad you're here now."  
  
For a long moment the two of them stood just staring at each other.  
  
"So did you work out what you believe?" Duncan asked, making Kate and Richie break eye contact.  
  
Kate smiled at Duncan and nodded. "Ironically at sixteen I found God. Or he found me... Either way I finally had the faith my parents tried to give me."  
  
"That is good to hear," Tessa said. "So are you planning on staying over here now?"  
  
Richie turned expectantly to Kate.  
  
"Well. I'm taking a year out before I start university. I have places in the UK and over here so," Kate looked pointedly at Richie." Depending on how settled I am here next September will depend what university I go to."`  
  
Richie broke into a grin. "So what you're saying is you have this next year free and then you could, probably be staying here anyway and going to uni by me?"  
  
"In a nutshell."  
  
Richie's grin widened. "And you're living where?"  
  
"About fifteen minutes walk from here." Kate said.  
  
That surprised Duncan, how could a nineteen year old kid afford an apartment in this area?  
  
"Inheritance," Kate said looking at Duncan and answering his unspoken question. "I was left quite a lot by my mum and dad. I'm saving some and using some to live here for a while."  
  
"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Duncan said, pleased that she was anyway.  
  
"I so do though," Kate said. "You Richie's... well..."Kate glanced at Richie then back at Duncan. "His dad. At least you're acting like it anyway. And he likes you guys. I can tell. So I do need to tell you guys this stuff. I want you to be ok with me being here."  
  
Duncan was definitely taken aback. Kate was definitely an observant young lady... And Duncan was pleased to note that apart from a slight pink tinge to his cheeks, Richie wasn't looking embarrassed by Kate's comments.  
  
"If Richie is happy then we are happy," Tessa said smiling. "That is all we want. If your presence does that then you are most welcome here whenever."  
  
*****  
  
Katie left around eleven pm, trying to refuse a lift home from Mac, which of course he wouldn't let her do. Despite her protests that she'd be home in fifteen minutes and it was stupid for Mac to go out in the cold when she was capable of walking, Katie ended up in Mac's T-bird waving goodbye to Richie, promising she'd call round tomorrow sometime after she woke up.  
  
After seeing her off Richie had said goodnight to Tessa and headed for his bedroom. He was about to drop off when he heard his door slowly creak open...  
  
"What's up Mac?" Richie asked without even rolling over to look at the door.  
  
"Am I that predictable?" Mac asked stepping into the room.  
  
"Only cos I know you," Richie said.  
  
"So do I need to ask or are you just going to tell me?"  
  
Richie sighed and rolled over to face Mac. "I'm glad she's back. And I'm glad she just turned up like she did, it was very... her." Richie shrugged from under his covers. "It proved she was still herself. Even if she does say she's changed a lot."  
  
"So you're ok?" Mac asked perching on the edge of the bed.  
  
Richie nodded. "I'm just tired now. It's been a long day you know?"  
  
Mac nodded, a smile on his lips. "Get some sleep then."  
  
Mac stood to leave.  
  
"Mac?"  
  
He turned. "Yeah Rich?"  
  
"Did you like her?" Richie didn't know why it was important to him,. But it was. He wanted Mac to like Katie.  
  
Mac walked back over to the bed. "She seems like a very sweet young lady."  
  
"She is isn't she?" Richie said, taking that to mean Mac did like her.  
  
"And she still really cares about you," Mac said, sitting back down. "She told me when I drove her home."  
  
"Yeah?" Richie asked. Katie had told Mac that?  
  
"Yeah. Guess you're a lucky guy." Mac said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I guess I am. Thanks Mac."  
  
Mac smiled fully, and pulled Richie into a hug. "Anytime. Now get some sleep. She's coming to see you tomorrow."  
  
"K. Night Mac."  
  
Richie lay back down and closed his eyes. He heard Mac shut his door again softly. Mac and Tessa liked Katie. She seemed to like them. Katie had even noticed how content Richie was with Mac and Tessa. She had seen and understood their relationship without having to even ask about it. And Richie had been happy to note that neither Mac nor Tessa had corrected her when she'd said Mac was practically his dad.  
  
The tension that had been there at when Katie had first arrived had evaporated within a couple of minutes. It had been like they were nine years old again. Except now they didn't have any parents telling them it was time for bed, or to ground them for getting bad school reports, they could see each other whenever they wanted.  
  
Richie had got his best friend back. 


	4. Suspicions

Don't panic SouthernChickie. Kate is more of a setup character for the rest of the plot than anything else. I couldn't stand writing happy gooey stuff for too long. It doesn't match my general mood at the moment.  
  
Chapter four  
  
"I don't trust her."  
  
The words hung in the air between Duncan and Tessa. For a long moment Tessa said nothing, she just stared back at Duncan.  
  
"Why not? What did she do wrong?" Tessa asked finally.  
  
"Nothing," Duncan said. "That's the point. She shows up here late at night with no warning, that throws Richie off. She proceeds to tell someone she hasn't seen for ten years and two complete strangers her life story practically. She said nothing wrong in that time. She came across as a sweet innocent girl, who had overcome all of life's problems." Duncan paused trying to gauge Tessa's reaction to his comments.  
  
"Go on," Tessa prompted folding her arms.  
  
"Well don't you find it a little strange Tess? That she shows up now. That her mom, the person Richie blamed for her leaving is now dead so she can come back here without fear of reprisal, and yet tells us it wasn't because of her mom that she stayed away? But the strangest thing of all Tess, Richie just accepts what she tells him. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't ask her any difficult questions. He just accepts it."  
  
"He has known her for a long time..." Tessa started.  
  
"He knew her a long time ago," Duncan interrupted. "Ten years ago Tessa."  
  
Tessa was frowning now.  
  
"Think about it Tess. Think about the Richie we both know and love. Would he ever just accept that kind of explanation if we did what Kate did?"  
  
"We aren't children though Duncan." Tessa said.  
  
"No. And neither is Kate now," Duncan said. "How hard would it have been to pick up the phone Tessa?"  
  
"How would she have found him though?" Tessa asked.  
  
"The phonebook maybe?" Duncan said. It was important Tessa be on his side about this. He didn't want to just be acting paranoid... "She found Richie through Angie, who has been acting strangely since Kate came back, and Angie has lived in the same house since she was little. If Kate could find it now why couldn't she find it a year ago? Or two? Or actually at a time when Richie could do with a friend? Why now when Richie life is going well?"  
  
"Maybe it is as she said. She wanted to get her own life on track before looking up Richie." Tessa suggested.  
  
"And that took ten years? According to her she's sat two sets of exams in the last three years, sorted out a place to live in a foriegn country, buried her mother and found the religion that was missing from her life. If she was so messed up how did she manage all that? I think it's something else." Duncan said grimly. "I don't like it Tess. The whole situation. I don't like the way Richie trusts this girl, the girl who taught him to steal, so completely."  
  
Tessa sighed. "I just don't see it Duncan," she admitted. She seems like a genuine young lady to me."  
  
Duncan nodded. "Yes she does. But I've met a lot of seemingly genuine young ladies who are anything but."  
  
"Are you going to say anything to Richie?" Tessa asked, casting a glance towards Richie's closed bedroom door.  
  
Duncan followed her gaze and ran a hand through his hair. "How? He's so excited she's back. How do I say to him that I don't trust her without giving him a damn good reason, which I just can't do right now."  
  
"He wouldn't take it well," Tess agreed.  
  
"What about you?" Duncan asked. "Do you believe me Tess?"  
  
Tessa got to her feet and took Duncan's hands in hers. "I trust you. I trust your judgement. If you think she isn't what she seems, then I think we should look into her. It's our duty to keep Richie safe."  
  
Ok. So Tessa didn't see a problem with Kate. But he did. And as long as Tessa was willing to back Duncan up on this then he was going to follow it through.  
  
Four hundred years worth of instincts had kicked in when Kate had walked through the front door. She had seemed so false to Duncan. She had acted like the perfect distressed lady in need of help. It was an act that Duncan had seen a hundred times before.  
  
Kate was banking on the relationship she'd had with Richie years ago to get him on side. And it had worked. It had even worked on Tessa. But it all fitted together too perfectly for Duncan's liking. She had an answer for every question about why she'd been out of touch for so long. Answers for why her mom wasn't really to blame. Answers for how she had taken to stealing at such a young age. It was all to easy. It fitted a little too perfectly.  
  
And then there was Angie's reaction to the whole thing. It had of course crossed Duncan's mind that maybe Angie was purely jealous of Kate. That would be the simple answer, the easy answer... But why would Angie be jealous now? She had had plenty of opportunities to make a play for Richie if she wanted him, so why would she get jealous now?  
  
It didn't make sense. Angie had never shown the slightest interest in Richie in anyway except a friendship way. Why would Kate's appearance coincide with the awakening of new feeling for Angie?  
  
The answer in Duncan's mind was clear. It wouldn't.  
  
So. If Angie wasn't jealous then why was she acting in such a strange manner all of a sudden? Could it be that Angie knew something they didn't? Perhaps even something that Richie didn't know about the lovely Kate?  
  
It was definitely a thought that deserved following through.  
  
"I'm going to talk to Angie tomorrow," Duncan said to Tessa after a few minutes of silence had elapsed between them.  
  
"What for?" Tessa asked.  
  
"To see what she knows about Kate."  
  
"Richie won't be happy if he finds out what you've been going behind his back," Tessa warned.  
  
"And how will he react if Kate turns out to be something other than what he's expecting? How will he handle that?" Duncan shook his head. "If Angie tells me Kate's ok then I'll let it drop Tess. But I can't right now. I have to look into this. I'd never forgive myself if she hurt him and I could have stopped it."  
  
"And if you decide Kate has been telling you the truth and Richie finds out you asked Angie about her? What will you say then?"  
  
"That I was looking out for him. If I'm wrong no harm done Tess. If I'm right... I won't risk it Tess."  
  
"Then we will talk to Angie tomorrow morning and see what she knows," Tessa said, a trace of reluctance still evident in her voice.  
  
Duncan let a smile break out on his face. If he had Tessa's support, even if she didn't agree with it entirely, then he felt better about the whole thing already. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.  
  
"Thankyou sweetheart," he whispered into her hair.  
  
"I'm going along with this for Richie's sake," Tessa said pulling back just far enough to catch Duncan's eye. "But if you're right, and she is lying to him, or is after something, then God help her."  
  
Duncan knew she meant it. He hoped for Kate's health at that moment, that she was genuine... 


	5. Take a chance

Been so long updating because I went on holiday to Turkey.  
  
Chapter five  
  
In theory talking to Angie was a good idea. She could answer all Duncan's questions and either lay his fears to rest or back up his suspicions. In practice though... Getting Angie to actually talk wasn't all that easy.  
  
"Angie, I just want to know what you think of her." Duncan said following her around the kitchen of the shelter. Since Duncan had arrived Angie had begun attacking the vegetables she was preparing with frightening vigour.  
  
"I don't know her anymore," Angie said hacking into a carrot.  
  
"But you've spoken to her." Duncan pushed.  
  
"Yes. You know I have. But not in depth or Anything."  
  
"So can't you formulate an opinion based on that?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Angie..."  
  
"Look," Angie put down her knife and turned to face Duncan. "Richie's a big boy now. He can make his own mind up about people. He knew Kate better than anyone did. If he trusts her he must have a reason."  
  
"I'm sure he does," Duncan agreed, making the most of having Angie's full attention. "I'm just worried that the reason he trusts her is because he wants to. Not because she deserves it. You know what Richie's like Angie. He's not acting like himself with this girl."  
  
Angie sighed. "Yeah well, Richie never acted like himself with Kate."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"I mean the guy wears blinkers where she's concerned!" Angie said turning back to her carrots and hacking into them. "You have to earn his trust. You know that, I know that. He gives it so rarely but takes it back so readily. With Kate though..." Angie shook her head and faced Duncan. "No matter what she did as long as she denied it or said she was sorry he let it go. Every time!"  
  
Duncan frowned to himself. "What did she used to do?"  
  
Angie looked ready to say something but she stopped herself and turned abruptly back to her carrots.  
  
"Angie? Why are you protecting her?"  
  
"Her?" Angie rounded on Duncan. "I'm not protecting her, she doesn't need anyone looking out for her, she can do that well enough on her own. I'm looking out for me."  
  
"You? Why?" Was Angie scared of Kate or something?  
  
"I like Richie," Angie sighed, her anger disipating. "He's one of my oldest friends. I may not see him all the time and I may not always be around when he needs me, but..." Angie shrugged. "That's just us. That's the way our friendship is. He knows I'm here if he calls. I know he's there if I call. If Richie finds out I told you anything about Kate... If he thought I'd been talking about her, or even him to you, that'd be it. He would never take my side over Kate's. Never. You'd tell him what I said, he'd confront Kate, Kate would deny it. He'd believe her. I'd never forgive him for not believing me."  
  
Oh. Duncan hadn't thought of that. But surely Richie would know Angie wouldn't lie about something like this?  
  
"Sure, normally," Angie agreed, when Duncan said that to her. "But you've seen how he acts with her. He trusts her too much. He wouldn't even think twice. He'd pick her."  
  
"Then maybe that's why you should tell me what you know." Duncan said, more determined than ever now to find out what Angie knew. "He does trust her too much. And when he finds out she's been lying to him it will destroy him Angie. And if he finds out you could have done something to help prevent it - "  
  
"Emotional blackmail won't cut it with me," Angie interrupted.  
  
But Duncan could see the conflict in her eyes. On the one hand she wanted to tell him everything she knew. On the other she was afraid of Richie's reaction. Duncan felt a pang of sympathy for the girl. But he had to think of Richie's future well being, not Angie's current indecision.  
  
"I promise I won't tell him it was you that told me if you don't want me too. He doesn't need to know that."  
  
"Really?" Angie asked raising an eyebrow. "Who are you gonna say told you? The Tooth Fairy? Get real. He'll know it was me."  
  
"Than take a chance Angie."  
  
"It's not worth the risk," Angie said her voice faltering.  
  
"Isn't he?"  
  
"I didn't say he wasn't."  
  
"So take a chance Angie," Duncan said again. "He'll thankyou in the long run."  
  
Angie stared at Duncan for a long time before speaking."There wasn't anything specific at first," she said slowly. "But I never liked her. She was too perfect. But she could do no wrong in Richie's eyes. And then when her dad died and she got caught stealing and her mom said she was going to take her back home, Kate told her it was Richie's fault. It wasn't her mom making snap assumptions about Richie cos he was a foster kid. Kate told her he taught her. That's why she wasn't allowed to call him and that's why he ended up back at the orphanage."  
  
Duncan kept a straight face. It wasn't completely unexpected after all... "How do you know that?" he asked.  
  
"I was at Richie's that day." Angie said quietly. "I was being the supportive friend. I went to use the bathroom and I overheard his social worker telling his foster parents."  
  
"But you never told Richie?"  
  
"He was already devastated about her going. I wasn't about to be the one to add to that." Angie said defensively. "Besides. I figured she was going away so problem kinda solved you know?"  
  
Duncan could understand. And Richie certainly wasn't above shooting the messenger in that kind of situation.  
  
"Is Kate aware that you know all this?"  
  
Angie snorted. "Of course not. If she did she would have tracked Richie down another way."  
  
"So why do you think she's come back now?"  
  
Angie shrugged. "I dunno. But I don't think whatever the reason is it can be a good one. I don't like her and I don't trust her. She was never the sort to do something risky unless she had a lot to gain from it. You need to watch her."  
  
"I intend to," Duncan said, fighting to retain control of his temper.  
  
"So what are you gonna do now?" Angie asked, a worried expression on her face.  
  
"I'm going to investigate her," Duncan said. "I need more. Her lying to him ten years ago won't be enough to convince him there's something not quite right going on now. I need to find out if she's done anything recently. Told lies to Richie since she's been back. I need to check out the story she's told us."  
  
"How are you going to do that?" Angie asked.  
  
Duncan smiled tightly. "I have some contacts still in England that owe me a few favours. Thankyou for your help Angie."  
  
"Where's Richie?" Duncan asked Tessa when he got in.  
  
"Out with Kate. What did Angie say?" Tessa asked.  
  
"That Kate was a liar and she doesn't trust her," Duncan said then filled her in the conversation.  
  
"Is Angie sure?" Tessa asked, the shock evident in her voice.  
  
"Yes, she is." Duncan said.  
  
"Are you going to tell Richie?"  
  
"Not yet. I want more information before I say anything. Angie's worried about how Richie's going to react to all this." And so am I, Duncan added silently to himself."  
  
"Where else can you get information from? We don't really know any of Richie's other friends." Tessa asked.  
  
"No. But I do still have friends in England. I can get them to look her up and see if the rest of her story meshes with what she told us."  
  
"And if it doesn't? Tessa asked.  
  
"Then Kate will have a lot of explaining to do," Duncan said. "I'll be in the office Tess. Call me when he gets home."  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"Nope. Seriously. I broke into their store one night, got caught and now I live with them. They're really cool."  
  
"They sound it," Katie said. "How come you never had such a great foster home when you were growing up?"  
  
Richie shrugged. "Mac and Tessa aren't exactly the conventional parental type figures. I doubt they would've been accepted as foster parents back then."  
  
"No, but the scum gets accepted," Katie said disgustedly. "I'm glad you landed on your feet anyway."  
  
"Hey, was there ever any doubt? This is me we're talking about." Richie said grinning.  
  
"Yeah, well you're forgetting I know what you're like." Kate said knowingly. "And with that in mind I want to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot," Richie said.  
  
"Are you really happy? With Mac and Tessa and working in an antique store?"  
  
"Yes. I mean the working in the store I don't really care about either way. I enjoy it but I could live without it as long as I still had Mac and Tessa. They're great."  
  
"You really mean it?" Katie asked.  
  
"Would I lie to you?"  
  
Katie smiled. "I'm glad. I just never figured you for the sort to work in a shop. I always saw you as the outdoor type. The money must be good"  
  
Richie laughed. "It's not about the money, Katie. I love living with them. I love working with Mac. And it is kinda interesting working with antiques and finding out where they were made and all the history."  
  
"I guess," Katie agreed. "I still can't believe you broke in to rob them and then they let you work with all these priceless antiques. Let you live with them, give you alarm codes!"  
  
"I know. Guess it was my winning smile that did it," Richie said. "Besides, Mac and Tessa know the can trust me. They know I think too much of them to try and rip them off."  
  
Katie smiled and hugged Richie. "I'm glad you're happy. I'm glad you made it out Richie, and with style too."  
  



	6. Confrontation one

Chapter six  
  
It had been a week since Duncan had made his initial calls to the UK. So far he had nothing new to go on, but he did have a few people looking into her for him. It was taking longer than he wanted it to though. For every hour that passed that didn't turn up something new or concrete to prove that she was lying, was another hour Richie spent getting closer to her.  
  
It was taking all of Duncan's will power to be nice to the girl. Seeing the way Richie smiled at her when she spoke was driving him mad. How he wished Richie would just see through her.  
  
Tessa was having decidedly more trouble at keeping her thoughts on Kate hidden. It wasn't from lack of trying, but Duncan knew if it was obvious to him it would be obvious to Richie and probably Kate too.  
  
"What would you have me do?" Tessa asked irritably when Duncan tried to gently point this out to her.  
  
"I don't know Tess, but if we get Richie off side before we have anything real to say to him..."  
  
"We have what Angie told us," Tessa said stubbornly.  
  
"And Angie herself doesn't think that will be enough," Duncan reminded her. "We need more Tessa. And we need to be careful around her until we have more."  
  
"I don't like this," Tessa said sitting down on the bed. "I don't like letting her spend so much time with him, knowing the damage she is probably doing."  
  
"We can't wrap him up in cotton wool though Tessa. He is an adult and he has to make his own mistakes."  
  
"Oh," said Tessa raising an eyebrow at him. "Is that why you have people digging into her past as we speak? So Richie can make his own mistakes? Or to help prevent them?"  
  
Duncan sighed. He'd walked into that one...  
  
"Tess, if we say something to Richie too soon, and he doesn't believe us, when we do have proof he probably won't listen to us then. We have to be careful."  
  
"I know," Tessa said softly. "But I still don't like it."  
  
"Neither do I," Duncan said sitting down next to her and putting his arm around her. "But we have to be patient Tess. Either she will slip up or one of my contacts will get back to us. We just have to wait."

.................

"Mac? Can I talk to you?" Richie asked sitting in the hair on the other side of Duncan's desk. He had just got in from spending the day with Kate. It had been raining outside and he was slightly damp still because of it.  
  
"Do you want to get changed first? Last thing you want right now is a cold." Duncan said.  
  
"Nah, I'll be fine," Richie said dismissively.  
  
"Ok then, shoot. What's on your mind?" Duncan prompted, putting down the papers he was working on.  
  
"Tessa."  
  
"What about her?" Duncan asked, though he could guess. Kate had met Richie at the loft that morning and Tessa, though she really was trying to be civil this morning she hadn't quite managed it.  
  
"Is she ok?"  
  
The question took Duncan by surprise. "Yes, she's fine. Why do you ask?"  
  
"She's been acting weird all week, and so have you, sorta. But not as much as Tessa, so either something's wrong with Tessa or I've done something wrong." Richie concluded.  
  
"Richie... You haven't done anything." Duncan said, shocked that Richie could possibly think that for a second.  
  
"I couldn't think of anything either and you're big on the whole talking thing, so I figured you'd have said if it was me." Richie said shrugging. "So that leaves something wrong with Tessa."  
  
"If she was sick we would have told you," Duncan said carefully.  
  
"Yeah, I know that too. But if she had something on her mind... Like to do with her art or something you might not mention it to me. But she's definitely not herself Mac and you seem preoccupied too."  
  
What could Duncan say to him? The last thing he wanted to do was lie, but how could he tell him the truth before he had the proof he needed? There was no way he could let Richie think there was anything serious going on with Tessa, but Richie had noticed a problem with Duncan too. Tessa's art problems rarely played on Duncan's mind aswell.  
  
"There's nothing you have to worry about," Duncan decided on after a long pause.  
  
"Which means there is something going on you don't want to tell me about?"  
  
"Richie..." Duncan was at a loss for something to say, because Richie was right. He didn't want to tell Richie what the problem was, but there was one. Kate.  
  
"If that's it just say it Mac," Richie said softly. "I don't mind you not telling me stuff, I just don't want to be lied to. You made me promise to always be straight with you and that's all I'm asking you to do now."  
  
If possible Duncan now felt a hundred times worse. The fact that Richie could so readily accept people keeping things from him was disturbing. The fact that he could accept it from Duncan after everything they'd been through together...  
  
"Tessa is worried about something. So am I. But we can't tell you what yet. I really am sorry Richie, but I just can't yet." Duncan said eventually.  
  
Richie nodded. "Ok. So should I be worried too?"  
  
Duncan tried to smile reassuringly but he was pretty sure he failed miserably. "No. Noone's hurt or sick or dying."  
  
"You just can't tell me what it is that worrying you both?" Richie clarified.  
  
Duncan shook his head regretfully.  
  
"But I haven't done anything wrong?"  
  
"Nothing at all," Duncan said firmly.  
  
"But you can't tell me?"  
  
Again Duncan shook his head.  
  
"And I don't need to worry?"  
  
"No."  
  
The phone chose that moment to ring, saving Duncan from having to continue the conversation because Richie stood saying, "I'll let you get that."  
  
Duncan watched Richie's retreating back for a moment, knowing that Richie was hurt by Duncan's refusal to tell him anything, but also knowing that he truly couldn't yet. Hopefully Richie would understand why later on.  
  
"MaCloed," Duncan said picking up the phone.  
  
"Duncan it's Louise," a voice with a strong Yorkshire accent greeted him.  
  
"Louise, hi," Duncan said, glad now Richie had left the room. Louise was one of the people he had looking into Kate's back story.  
  
"I found out some interesting things about that girl," Louise continued, not wasting time on small talk. "What exactly did she tell you about her mum?"  
  
"That she died a few years ago from breast cancer and she wasn't as bad as Richie thought she was," Duncan summarized.  
  
"So the fact that she's alive and kicking and has never had any kind of cancer would come as a bit of a surprise then?" Louise asked.  
  
"Are you sure?" Duncan asked. He had a low opinion of Kate it was true, but to think someone capable of lying about the death of a parent...  
  
"Spoke to the lady myself." Louise said. "And I would seriously be worried about any girl who's own mother can't think of a nice thing to say about her. Kate's been living in America for over a year Duncan. She never sat her GCSE's let alone her A levels. I don't think anything she's told you is true. You need to get her away from your kid Duncan and now. She's poison."  
  
Duncan gripped the receiver tightly. He had expected some of her story to be lies, but not all of it.  
  
"I'm going to fax you some things now Duncan," Louise said. "That way if your word isn't good enough you'll have it in black and white."  
  
"Thankyou Louise," Duncan managed to say.  
  
"Anytime. I'm just sorry I have such bad news for you."  
  
Duncan replaced the receiver and went over to the fax machine to wait. A couple of minutes passed then they arrived. Pages with Kate's school records on, confirming she never sat her GCSE's, or attended a college. Her mothers hospital records, showing she was the picture of health and well and truly alive. And flight records, showing Kate flying out to the US last year, and records showing she had rented an apartment not that far from Seacouver up until a couple of weeks ago.  
  
Duncan knew he had to remain calm. He had his proof now. He had to tell Tessa, then they had to tell Richie.  
  
Picking up all of the records Duncan headed up to the loft. Tessa was still out and Richie wasn't anywhere to be seen. Duncan knew he had to be in his room. Setting the papers down on the kitchen table Duncan tried to decide what to do. Should he wait for Tessa to return or should he speak to Richie now on his own?  
  
After a minutes indecision he decided he couldn't wait for Tessa. He had to tell Richie this now. Gathering the papers again Duncan went and knocked on Richie's door.  
  
"Yeah," Richie called out softly, inviting Duncan to open the door.  
  
"Richie. I want to talk to you," Duncan said, closing the door behind him.  
  
Richie raised an eyebrow. "What about?"  
  
"About what's bothering Tessa. And me."  
  
"I already told you you don't have to," Richie said leaning against the headboard of his bed.  
  
"I do have to," Duncan said perching on the edge of the bed. "It involves you."  
  
Richie frowned. "You said I hadn't done anything..."  
  
"You haven't," Duncan said firmly. "But it is about you."  
  
"About me?" Richie repeated his frown deepening.  
  
"And about Kate."  
  
"What about her?"  
  
Duncan took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy. "I know you care abut her a lot. And I know she was a good friend of yours years ago, but there was something about her that didn't quite ring true when I spoke to her."  
  
Richie said nothing. He just stared at Duncan silently.  
  
"So I looked into her background."  
  
"Hold on," Richie said quietly. "You spoke to her once and then decided to check her out. Is that what you're telling me?"  
  
Duncan nodded. "The way Angie was acting wasn't right either. I spoke with her and she told me some things that I didn't like. So I had some friends check out her story."  
  
"You spoke to Angie?" Richie asked calmly.  
  
Duncan nodded. "She overheard your social worker telling your foster parents that Kate had told her mom you taught her to steal. It was because of Kate you ended up back in the orphanage. She was trying to cover her own back Richie."  
  
"And Angie has known this for ten years and never thought to mention it before?" Richie asked.  
  
"There was no need before." Duncan really didn't like the way Richie was taking this. He was far too calm.  
  
"And the people you had digging into her past found what?" Richie asked, his eyes resting on the papers Duncan was still holding.  
  
Instead of answering Duncan passed him the records to let him see for himself. Richie scanned a few sheets.  
  
"Her mom's alive," Richie said. "And she's been here for over a year."  
  
Duncan nodded. "I'm sorry Richie."  
  
"For what exactly?" Richie asked looking up. "For telling me my best friend has been lying to me for years, or because you've been lying to me?"  
  
"Richie... I needed to get proof. You wouldn't have believed me if I'd come to you before."  
  
"You don't know that," Richie said sounding angry for the first time. "When have I not believed you Mac? When? You know I always listen to you. Why would you think I wouldn't believe you?"  
  
"Because of the way you acted with Kate," Duncan said, confused by Richie's reaction. He didn't seem all that bothered at learning of Kate's betrayal.  
  
"So what? You had Angie to back you up too. God, I can't believe you went to Angie before me!" Richie was on his feet now pacing the room.  
  
"I only had my suspicions before I spoke with her. And she was convinced you'd believe Kate over her anyway."  
  
"Yeah, I probably would. But Mac, why did you think I wouldn't listen to you?"  
  
"Because you trusted her so much so quickly."  
  
"So instead of coming to me straight away you thought you'd let me spend more time with her so it would hurt more when you finally did tell me?!"  
  
"It wasn't like that Richie," Duncan said trying to calm Richie down. "The last thing I wanted was for you to get hurt!"  
  
"Then why couldn't you just say something?" Richie asked, the anger leaving his voice and being replaced with hurt. "I asked you an hour ago what was up with you and Tessa and you wouldn't tell me. And the whole time it was about me. This whole week you and Tessa have kept stuff from me after making me promise I won't keep stuff from you two. Talk about double standards Mac."  
  
"I know it seems that way now -"  
  
"Seems that way," Richie interrupted. "It is that way! You went behind my back, you spoke to my friends, you had people checking out my friends and you don't tell me what's going on when I come right out and ask. That's not fair Mac! You aren't supposed to do that. You aren't supposed to be like the rest of them. I'm supposed to be able to trust you!"  
  
"You can trust me Richie," Duncan said trying to reach for Richie.  
  
"How?" Richie asked stepping back out of his reach. "How can I? A lie by omission is as bad as an outright lie Mac. You said that to me once. How come I have to play by the rules but you get to make them up as you go along?"  
  
"Richie, it wasn't like that..." Duncan said, desperately trying to make Richie see things from his point of view.  
  
"Whatever Mac," Richie said turning away and staring out of the window. "I want to be alone."  
  
"I don't want to leave you like this," Duncan said.  
  
Richie glanced over his shoulder at Duncan. "I wanna be alone." He repeated. "I just found out my best friend has been lying to me. I need to be alone."  
  
Sighing Duncan turned to leave. "I'm here if you want me Richie."  
  
Richie nodded slightly but didn't turn around again. Duncan left the room, trying to decide if there was any way he could have taken that worse. 


	7. Confrontation two

Chapter seven  
  
As soon as the door closed behind Richie he slumped down onto his bed. He didn't know who he was more angry with, Mac or Katie.  
  
Mac wasn't supposed to do things like this. Didn't he have any idea how Richie would feel if he went behind his back like this? Didn't he know that Katie's betrayal would hurt twice as much because Mac had known and not told him? Not to mention that Mac obviously didn't get how much Richie looked up to and listened to him. Sure there had been a time when someone's word wasn't good enough for Richie, when he wouldn't have believed someone without proof... But Mac... Richie knew Mac would never lie to him. Mac had gone to great lengths to prove this time and time again. But then he'd gone and done this.  
  
And if Mac snooping around wasn't bad enough Tessa had known about it too. She had known and said nothing. And Angie... Angie had known Katie couldn't be trusted for years, but she'd kept silent about it. Maybe she was right in saying he would have believed Katie and not her, but weren't friends supposed to take those kind of chances? Wasn't it worth taking a risk when Katie had returned?  
  
Katie...  
  
It hurt like hell to hear that Katie wasn't the person he thought she was and that she never had been. Richie had always known she wasn't perfect, that she lied to just about every authority figure that came into her life, but he never thought she would be like that with him. Maybe he'd just wanted to believe that. Maybe he should have been more suspicious of her motives when she had just shown up after ten years with a perfect story for why she hadn't been in touch. Richie knew the truth was he just hadn't wanted to see it. He had wanted at least one part from his childhood to not seem so bad. One time period after Emily that didn't totally suck... But it looked like that just wasn't meant to be.  
  
Why had Katie done it? That's what Richie couldn't figure out. Why was she here? What did she hope to gain from her deception? Only Katie knew the answers.  
  
Richie grabbed his jacket and headed for his door. Katie had answers and he wanted to know what they were.  
  
...............  
  
Richie banged loudly on Katie's door. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, he was hoping the words would just come to him...  
  
Katie opened the door and looked surprised to see him.  
  
"Richie, hi. I wasn't expecting you," she said.  
  
"I wasn't expecting to come," Richie said tightly.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Katie asked. "You look tense."  
  
"Yeah, something's wrong," Richie said.  
  
"What is it? Is there anything I can do?" Katie asked.  
  
"You can tell me why you've been here for a year and not told me. You can tell me why you did tell me your mom is dead when she isn't. You can tell me why you told your family I taught you to steal. You can tell me why you let me get sent back to the orphanage for something that wasn't my fault. You can tell me why you're really here."  
  
Katie Stood frozen for a moment before speaking. "Who said all that stuff?" She asked finally.  
  
"Mac." Richie said.  
  
"Why would he say that?" Katie asked sounding shocked. "Why would I lie about any of that to you?"  
  
"That's what I wanna know. How could you lie to me like that?" Richie asked, hardly believing she could look him in the eye and lie so blatantly. What if Richie did believe her? His relationship with Mac would be completely ruined. Didn't she care at all about that?  
  
"Richie, why don't you believe me? I would never lie to you," Katie said earnestly.  
  
"Neither would Mac," Richie said tonelessly. She really didn't care about him at all did she?  
  
"Maybe he's jealous," Katie said calmly. "We have been spending a lot of time together recently. Maybe he's scared he's losing you. You know how weird parents can act when they feel like they're losing their kid." She went to touch his shoulder.  
  
"Actually no, I don't." Richie said stepping out of her reach. "I never had parents that gave a damn. Mac isn't my dad, he doesn't act like a parent, he acts like a friend. And he has proof."  
  
"What kind of proof?" Katie asked.  
  
"Flight records. Hospital records. Angie." Richie said. If he didn't feel so numb it would probably hurt like hell still that she was still trying to wriggle her way out of this.  
  
"Angie? She was always jealous of us..."  
  
"No, she wasn't," Richie interrupted. "Angie was my friend. She wanted me to be happy. She wouldn't lie to me if it made me unhappy Kate. Mac has records that prove you have been and still are lying to me. Why? Why are you lying to me?"  
  
Katie stared at him for a long time. "You just called me Kate," she said.  
  
"I know."  
  
"You never call me Kate."  
  
"You never felt like just another person who lied to me before. Don't you get how much you meant to me? How much I always wanted to see the best in you, even though that went against everything I learned about people growing up? How can you stand there and lie to me, when you know if I believed you you'd ruin everything I have with Mac and Tessa? How can you do that to me?" Richie was desperately trying to hang on to the numb feeling, or even the anger he had felt, but both were giving way to total hurt. And he wasn't sure he could handle that...  
  
After a moment Katie finally sighed and looked Richie in the eye. "I told you the rules Richie. When we were little. I told you you always had to look out for number one. That's what I did when I got caught. I told my mum it was your fault to get myself off the hook. It didn't exactly work."  
  
"So why all the lies now?" Richie asked.  
  
"Because my life blows Richie, it has ever since I got caught." Katie said.  
  
"So what? You wanted to bring me down with you?" Richie demanded.  
  
"No, I just needed a way out. I had to get away from my family, they were driving me nuts. I came back here because of the good times we had had. I wanted to look you up straight away. I spoke to Gary. He said you were still getting in trouble though. That you were running away from your foster homes when I got here. Then you were arrested for B and E. I guess that was the Antique store cos then I found out you were staying at an antique store. I was going to let you get settled then come and see you but..." Katie paused.  
  
"But what?" Richie prompted, already guessing her answer.  
  
"But then you got stabbed and I thought it would be better to stay away until you were better." Katie said.  
  
"So what you're telling me is you wanted me problem free before you looked me up? You didn't want to deal with the hassles of my life? You wanted help with yours but didn't want to help me? Is that what you're saying."  
  
"No, it wasn't like that. I couldn't have handled your problems too..."  
  
"So it is like that," Richie said. "And the reason you told me your mom was dead?"  
  
"So you wouldn't try and speak to her," Katie answered.  
  
"So she couldn't tell me the truth."  
  
"Look, me and my mum haven't got on for years. She hates me. I just didn't want you to know that."  
  
"Why? Friend's don't judge Kate. They're just there when you need them. You didn't trust me. You lied about your entire life. What exactly did you think I was going to be able to do to help you when I didn't know what the hell was really going on?" Richie demanded, his anger beginning to return.  
  
"I just needed to pay off some debts and get my head straight Richie. Then I would have told you everything. Please believe me." Katie pleaded, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Believe you?" Richie repeated incredulously. "I can't believe a word you say to me. And pay off debts? How..." Richie trailed off. "How was I supposed to help you pay off your debts?" he finished coldly.  
  
"You're a thief... It's who you are," Katie said.  
  
Richie was shaking his head in disbelief. "you wanted me to steal from Mac and Tessa?"  
  
"I know they love you, I've watched you guys for so long, I knew they'd never think it of you. So I don't see what the big deal would be. They'd have insurance..."  
  
"I can't believe you just said that," Richie said. "You know they're like family to me, but you still think I'd steal from them?"  
  
"It wouldn't be the first time," Katie said in a reasonable voice.  
  
"Don't you get it yet Kate?" Richie asked his voice rising. "I don't steal anymore. I'm not the same kid I was. And I could never steal from Mac and Tessa. I couldn't steal from people I respected, people I love. They aren't just another foster family. I'm eighteen, they keep me around cos they want me, not cos they get money for me. Do you think I'd actually do anything to jeopardise that?" Richie conveniently forgot to mention that at that precise moment he was as angry with Mac about this whole thing as he was with Katie.  
  
"They'd never find out."  
  
Pointless. The whole conversation was going nowhere. Katie really wasn't the girl he thought she was. For some reason she didn't seem to understand that what she was suggesting was never going to happen. She couldn't see that she had hurt him and that he would never be able to think of her in the same way again. She hadn't grasped that their friendship, if they had ever really had one, was over.  
  
Richie turned away from her and began to walk away.  
  
"Richie? Where are you going?" Katie called after him.  
  
He stopped walking but didn't look back. "Home. Stay away from me Kate. We have nothing left to say to each other."  
  
.......  
  
God it hurt. It hurt to walk away from someone Richie had thought cared about him as much as he had cared about her. It hurt that she hadn't seen what the things she had just told him were doing to him. It hurt that she had taken so much from him, because now he was going home to Mac and Tessa and instead of feeling happy that he had them waiting for him he was still angry that they hadn't been up front with him. She had even taken away some of the trust it had taken months for Richie to finally feel able to give freely to Mac and Tessa. It hurt that when he walked into the loft the last thing he felt able to do was talk to them, share his feelings and let them help. He couldn't because they hadn't been open with him. How was he supposed to be open with them now?  
  
As he walked through the loft to his room he didn't even glance at Mac and Tessa who were sat at the kitchen table. When Tessa called his name he didn't slow, didn't turn he just said he didn't want to talk as he shut and locked his door (something he hadn't done in months) before collapsing on his bed and fighting back the tears that were threatening. Kate didn't deserve his tears. Besides, he was used to people letting him down. He could handle it... 


	8. Decisions

I screwed up the original time zones... It was late, my boyfriend was distracting me... sorry.  
  
Chapter eight  
  
Richie had his bag packed by midnight. He knew Mac and Tessa were in bed, he'd heard them going over an hour ago. Hopefully he had left it long enough for them to both be asleep so he could sneak out and not have to face any awkward questions. Because the fact was Richie was leaving. Mac and Tessa would think he was running away and that was fine, they could think that because he probably was, but he didn't care. He had to get away to clear his mind and put things into perspective. He knew Mac hadn't kept things from him to hurt him, and it most likely had never crossed his mind how Richie would feel, knowing everyone had known before he had, but even so, Richie needed some time on his own.  
  
Kate had only been back a week... A week and yet she had managed to stir up feelings he had long thought buried. To have them snatched away so suddenly was tearing him apart slowly. He hardly knew the girl, so why did she affect him so much? Was it because he had held her in such high regard? Was it because she was the first person from a "good" family who had apparently seen him as Richie Ryan, the boy next door and not some foster kid to avoided, who just happened to live next door?  
  
The reasons didn't actually matter that much. The fact that the emotions he was currently experiencing seemed totally illogical didn't matter. It was how he felt and he needed to deal with that anyway he could.  
  
The brief note Richie had written explaining what he was doing was pinned to the fridge. Taking one last look around the Loft Richie turned and walked out the front door.  
  
....................  
  
Richie could feel the wad of cash in his pocket. He had taken out all of savings when he had decided where he was going. He was going to need them. He had taken a cab to the airport and picked up his ticket. Richie had never flown before and here he was, on his own, leaving to get away from the only people who had ever truly cared about him. Richie pushed those thoughts aside. It wasn't as if he was never going to see Mac and Tessa again, he just needed some time away. He needed to sort out his feelings over Kate and the only way he could do that was if he was on his own. Richie knew he was doing the right thing.  
  
After he had checked in Richie went to get a drink. He had been up early in the morning and was now sitting in an airport café ,waiting for an early morning flight, not daring to sleep in case he missed his flight call.  
  
There was hardly anyone about at this time. A few cleaners doing their rounds, the odd security guard, a few people waiting for early morning flights aswell. None of them looked as miserable as he felt.  
  
Richie felt relieved when his flight was finally called and he could get on and find his seat. He was too tired to be interested in his first take off and by the time the in flight entertainment began he was sleeping uneasily in his cramped seat.  
  
....................  
  
Duncan hadn't slept well. Neither he knew had Tessa. He wanted to do was go and wake Richie up and make him talk the whole thing through. Duncan knew Richie had to be taking the whole thing hard and knew he would need to talk to someone. The only difficulty was getting Richie to actually talk before a major problem occurred.  
  
After a few minutes of lying motionless in bed and putting off the inevitable restless pacing around the loft that was bound to occur until Richie either surfaced or Duncan lost his patience and went and woke Richie up, Duncan threw back the covers and began to get dressed. He took as long as he could but eventually he had to venture out of the bedroom.  
  
Deciding that the best thing he could presently do was make breakfast to occupy himself for a further few minutes he went over to the fridge and had a hand on the door before noticing the note stuck to it with a magnetic, addressed to him and Tessa in Richie's neat handwriting.  
  
Duncan stared at the white envelope for a long moment. Richie wouldn't leave a note like that if he was just going out for the day... His heart beating loudly, Duncan took the envelope off the fridge and opened it slowly, not entirely sure he wanted to read what was inside.  
  
Dear Mac and Tessa,  
I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but I know you would have tried to get me to stay and I need to be by myself for a bit. It's not because of you guys, or Angie, or even Kate really, I just need some time by myself to get my head straight. I'll call you when I get where I'm going. Please don't try and find me and don't worry, I'll be ok. Thanks for everything you've done for me, I appreciate it more than you know.  
  
Richie.  
  
Damn it Richie! Duncan swore to himself as he re-read the note. Why did he always have to run away from his problems? When was he going to learn that the only way to deal with his problems was to face them, not run away from them?  
  
Still clutching the note Duncan went to wake Tessa up. She read through the note before turning fearful eyes on Duncan.  
  
"But where would he go?" Tessa asked.  
  
"I don't know," Duncan said. He'd been thinking about that himself. Certainly not with any of his friends round here, it would be too easy to be found, and Duncan knew Richie knew them well enough to know just telling them not to look for him wasn't enough to stop them. So that left where exactly? Richie had hardly ever left the state. He didn't have any friends further away as far as Duncan knew, so where was he heading?  
  
"We have to find him Duncan," Tessa said. "We can't leave him alone at a time like this. We're a family!"  
  
"I know Tess, we'll look for him, we will find him."  
  
"But where do we start looking?" Tessa asked.  
  
"I don't know Tess. I think we should wait until he phones, like he said he would, and maybe we'll know more then."  
  
"But if he doesn't want us to find him..." Tessa said. "He isn't stupid Duncan, he survived on the streets. If he doesn't want us to know where he is now how will we find him?"  
  
"I have a little practice at finding things that don't want to be found," Duncan said wrapping his arms around Tessa. "We'll get him back Tessa."  
  
.....................  
  
By the time Richie had landed, collected his bags, made it through customs, got a taxi to his hotel and found his room, he was dead on his feet. It wasn't as easy as it appeared to sleep on a cramped plane, and he hadn't had any sleep before that. It was 7pm local time, which made it 2pm back home. The desire to just fall asleep on the bed was almost too much to resist, but he had to phone Mac and Tessa. By now Tessa was probably pulling her hair out and Mac would be pretending he wasn't worried, both of them staring at the phone waiting for it to ring.  
  
Forcing his eyes to remain open for just a little while longer, Richie dialed the number for the Antique Store, stifling a yawn as he did so. It rang twice, before a flustered sounding Tessa picked it up.  
  
"Tess, it's me," Richie said softly.  
  
"Richie? Oh thank God! Where are you? Are you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine Tess. You got my note?"  
  
"Yes, but it left out more than it told us!" Tessa said. "Why have you left? Why didn't you stay and talk to us, let us help you?"  
  
"I don't want you to help me Tessa," Richie said in the same soft tone. "I want to help myself. I told you it wasn't about you guys, it's about me. I need to do this by myself."  
  
"But you would have come to us, if we hadn't keep things from you." Tessa said sadly.  
  
"Maybe," Richie admitted. "Maybe not though. Please don't try and make this something it isn't. I just wanna be alone for a bit."  
  
"Then at least tell us where you are," Tessa begged.  
  
"I cant," Richie said, feeling more and more tired the longer he spoke to Tessa and the more upset she sounded. "You'll come looking for me."  
  
"You're our friend Richie, we don't want you to be alone when you need us."  
  
"I need to be alone, please understand that Tessa. I promise I'll come home when I'm ready, but right now I can't be there. Not at the antique store, not with you guys, not in Seacouver. I need to make sense of the things going on in my head first, then I'll come home."  
  
"You should be with people who love you when you're hurting Richie," Tessa insisted.  
  
"I know what I want Tessa. I want this. I'll call again soon. Tell Mac... Tell him I understand why he didn't tell me."  
  
"But?" Tessa prompted.  
  
Richie sighed. "But it still hurts."  
  
"Oh Richie... He didn't mean - "  
  
"I know," Richie assured her. "Look, I have to go. I'll speak to you soon."  
  
Ignoring Tessa's protests from the other end of the line Richie put the phone down. He chose to ignore the aching feeling in his chest. He'd been alone before. It was no different now, except now it was his choice. It was what he wanted, what he needed. And after he slept he could do what he'd come here to do. 


	9. Questions and answers

Thanks for the e-mails that were sent, I really appreciated the thought. My dad was cremated yesterday so I'm trying to get back to normal. Unfortunately I will be losing my internet connection for about a month as it was paid on my dad's credit card, but as soon as I sort out getting it debited I'll be back on line. I'm also starting my nurse training next week so I'll do my best to be a bit more regular with updates than I have been recently but I can't promise.

Chapter nine

Richie had obtained a phone book from the front desk. He'd found the listings for the Hunt family quite easily. Luckily for him there weren't that many E Hunts in the part of Birmingham Richie knew Kate was from. It had only taken him twelve phone calls to get hold of who he wanted... sort of...

"Hello?" a female voice answered after a couple of rings.

"Hi, my name's Richie Ryan," Richie said running through the know well rehearsed spiel. "I'm looking for Elizabeth Hunt."

"Uh huh. She's sorta expecting your call." The girl said.

"She is?" Richie said nearly dropping the phone. "So I've got the right number?"

"Assuming that accent is American and you're the same guy she's been talking about since we had some woman phone up asking about Kate."

"I guess that would be me," Richie said.

"Then yes you have the right number, but she's out at the moment."

"Oh. Can I call back later?" Richie asked.

"You can. Or you can come round and speak to her face to face. She's due back soon and she's probably got about a million questions for you too."

"Would that be ok?" Richie asked, thinking how weird he'd find it if some kid just turned up on his doorstep asking questions about his offspring...

"Course it would. I'm in the house now with only my uncle for company. At least you'd distract me."

A thought sparked in Richie's mind. "Are you and Kate related?"

"Only by blood. She's my cousin. Liz is my aunt. I'm Frankie Hunt."

"Frankie," Richie repeated. That name did ring a bell actually.

"Yeah. So ask for me when you get here. You have the address there right?"

"Yeah, it's right here," Richie said scribbling down the address on the pad next to the phone.

"Ok Cool. I'll see you in a bit Richie."

There was a click as Frankie put the phone down.

Looked like today was going to get interesting...

...................

"And what exactly are you hoping to achieve by searching the country for him?" Connor demanded. "Like it or not he is an adult and he knows what he's doing. If he doesn't want you to find him you won't. He will call you when he's ready, he will come home when he's ready."

"And if he doesn't?" Duncan asked. "What if I've really blown it this time?"

"You know Richie better than that," Connor said.

"I thought I did."

"Duncan, he's angry, he's hurt, but he will call. And if he shows up here I will let you know." Connor said. "But until then there's nothing we can do but wait."

Duncan sighed. "I suppose you're right, but I don't like it."

"I'll speak to you soon," Connor said, needing to end the conversation quickly or he was going to be late.

"OK. Just let me know if you do hear anything."

"Straight away," Connor promised. "Take care of Tessa." He replaced the receiver and turned to face a stern faced Rachel.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"You just told Duncan you'd let him know if you heard anything." She said, hands on hips.

"Yes," Connor agreed, picking up his bag.

"But you neglected to mention you are about to get on a flight to England to find Richie yourself! Don't you think that's hypocritical?"

"Of course it is," Connor agreed. "Bu I will at least be rational when I see the boy."

"Boy? You just told Duncan he was an adult." Rachel pointed out.

"I know. He is. But he's still a boy to me."

"He's still a boy to Duncan too."

"But I can fake it better than Duncan," Connor said with a smile.

Rachel was still shaking her head as she ushered him out to his waiting cab. "Just call me when you land, ok?" she said.

"Of course," Connor agreed, kissing her on the cheek before getting into his cab and heading off to the airport to interfere in Duncan's family again, despite promising himself he wasn't going to do that again.

....................

The house was huge. The garden was huge. Oh god, they're rich, Richie realised as the taxi pulled up at the front door. Paying the driver Richie got out and casting a look around he knocked on the front door. After a few minutes a young girl of around his age opened the door.

"Richie?" She asked.

Richie nodded. "Frankie?" She looked like Kate... well her features did anyway. It was obvious they were related, but where Kate had soft brown hair Frankie had black hair, and where Kate had dark blue eyes, Frankie had ice blue eyes.

"Yep. Come in," she said stepping aside. "Liz isn't back yet, but she should be any minute." Frankie said as she led him through the house.

"Do you live here?" Richie asked.

"Yeah," Frankie nodded with a smile. "This is my dad's house really. He was Liz's husbands brother. After he died Liz came back here to live with us till she got sorted. But it's kinda like a family home anyway. Liz lives here with her new husband, me, my mum and dad, my uncle. It's nice having so much family in the same place."

"I guess," Richie said. Frankie had more family it seemed under one roof that Richie had friends...

"So are you here about Kate?" Frankie asked stopping in what Richie guessed was the lounge and taking a seat.

"How'd you guess?" Richie asked sitting opposite.

Frankie shrugged. I know my cousin. She's only a year older than I am and she caused enough trouble when she lived here. We haven't even heard from her in a year. Not one lousy phonecall. She could have been dead for all we knew. The first we heard about her was the other day when some woman called Louise phoned up asking questions for some guy called Duncan MacLoed. Your boss right?"

"Right," Richie nodded, then added. "Well, he's more than that really. He's my friend. He just also pays my wages."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "So let me guess. Kate tried to get between you and him?"

"Not directly," Richie said. "But she would have."

Frankie nodded. "I don't like to speak badly of people, especially family, but whatever she has done, don't let it get between you and your friend. She isn't worth that Richie."

"Yeah, I know." Richie said.

Frankie turned as she heard the front door closing in the distance.

"I'll be right back," She said, leaving the room quickly.

A few minutes passed then a woman who was decidedly not Frankie walked back in.

"Richie?" Liz Hunt began. "It's been a long time."

Richie stood to greet her, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"How are you?" She asked shaking his hand.

"I'm ok," Richie said re-taking his seat as Liz did.

"Good. I'm glad. I'm glad you landed on your feet."

"Who told you I did?" Richie asked.

"I'm assuming," Liz admitted. "Someone must really care about you to go to the lengths they did to check up on Kate like they have."

"I guess you're right," Richie had to agree.

"I have been expecting you to either call or visit. I admit, I expected you to call though. It would have been a lot cheaper."

"I wanted to talk face to face," Richie said, not willing to go into the real reasons he'd flown all the way to England.

"About Kate?"

Richie nodded.

"Go ahead. Ask whatever you've come here to ask. I at least owe you some answers."

"I guess I just wanna know," Richie paused. He didn't know how to phrase what he really wanted to know. "I just wanna know if she was I ever like I thought she was."

Liz frowned slightly. "How did she think she was?"

"Well for one I thought she cared about me. I never thought she' d lie to me like she has. I never thought she would have done anything to get between me and the people I love. I never thought she would have told me you were dead..."

"So we'll start there," Liz said taking a deep breath. "Kate did care about you. She just always has cared more about herself. Anything she has to do to make her own life better she will do no matter what the cost to the people around her. I don't know when she started acting like that. I don't know where I went wrong. I'm sorry she got you caught up in that again."

"Yeah, me too." Richie agreed.

"Look," Liz said. "Why don't you stay for dinner. This is far too formal to be comfortable. You can ask me anything that comes to mind then."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to put you out," Richie said, surprised at the invitation. This wasn't the Liz he remembered at all.

"It's no trouble at all." Liz said. "And It'll be better than you sitting in your hotel on your own with room service."

"Ok then, thankyou for the invite," Richie said.

...............

Connor found Richie easily. He checked into the room next to Richie's, got freshened up and changed before quietly breaking into Richie's room and sitting himself in a chair to wait for Richie's return.

Thankfully he didn't have to wait long.

"Good evening," Connor said as Richie flipped on the light switch and nearly had heart failure.

"Jesus, Connor! Are you trying to scare me to death?" Richie asked taking a calming breath.

"Of course not, Duncan would kill me," Connor said.

"What, did Mac send you?" Richie asked darkly.

Connor frowned. "Do you really think that if Duncan had the slightest idea where you were he would have sent me and not come himself?"

Ok, Connor made a good point.

"So how did you find me?" Richie asked sinking onto the bed.

"It wasn't hard. Kate was from England. Her family lives in England. Therefore it made perfect sense that you would come to England."

"So how come Mac hasn't thought of it?"

"Because whereas I believed you perfectly capable of running away this far Duncan doesn't. He thinks you'll stay near something you vaguely know."

"I'm not running away," Richie said indignantly.

"No? You left in the middle of the night -"

"That's when the flight was..."

"Without telling them -"

"I left a note..."

"Without mentioning where you were going - "

"They don't need to know..."

"After an argument with Duncan -"

"That was justified..."

"Which all adds up to you running away," Connor concluded.

"So why didn't you just tell him you thought I'd come here?"

"Because this was obviously something you felt you needed to do, and if Duncan knew where you were you couldn't do whatever it is that you felt you needed to do while here."

"So you aren't going to tell him you know where I am?" Richie asked hopefully.

"Oh I'm going to tell him I know, he's family," Connor said. "Didn't you argue with him about keeping things from you? I have to tell him I know."

"Great," Richie said flopping back on the bed. "He'll be here by tomorrow."

Connor stood. He was definitely jet lagged and not feeling up to this discussion just yet. Tomorrow would be early enough.

"I said I would tell him I knew, not that I would tell him the location. You're family too Richie, you can expect the same loyalty from me that Duncan does."

Connor turned to leave and made it to the door before he heard Richie saying softly behind him, "thanks."

Connor turned as he reached the door and smiled. "You're welcome. Just make sure you're still here in the morning."


	10. Day in the city

Have had internet issues the last week or so, but have been typing away instead of doing college work that I really need to be doing. Thanks for the... encouragement... yellow valley J

As The first and second series of Highlander were set in 92/93, which is roughly were this story is set I may get some of the landmarks in Birmingham wrong. I know the city very well now but I was only ten so I can't really remember what it was like then. So I'm going to pretend that Birmingham then was practically exactly the same as it is now.

Chapter ten

"So explain to me why you're here," Connor said sitting back and sipping his coffee.

He had arrived at Richie's door, far too cheerfully, at 7am. He had proceeded to invite himself in, order room service and make himself comfortable while he played 20 questions with an unwilling Richie.

"You already know why. Mac called you. He must have told you or you wouldn't be here now," Richie said, feeling irritable, partly due to the god forsaken hour of the morning that he'd been woken up at and partly at the way Connor had found him so easily...

"I know his version, which from past experience is probably very different to your version."

"Have you always been this irritating?" Richie asked.

A smile blossomed on Connor's face. "Yes."

"So how come I never noticed before?"

"Obviously you haven't spent enough time with me. But you're stalling. Your version?"

"Fine," Richie sighed. "Bottom line? He kept things from me. He made me promise I would always go to him or Tessa if I had a problem and then he goes and does the exact opposite. How would you feel?"

"Hurt. Angry. I don't think I'd run away to England though."

"I didn't run away," Richie said stubbornly.

"I'm not going through that again," Connor said with a wave of his hand. "The point is I understand your feelings. I just don't understand your actions. How are you going to sort this problem out if they don't know where you are? If you won't talk to them? I know Duncan was wrong, but his motives weren't. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt you. He did what he felt was necessary to ensure he didn't."

"But he did," Richie said. "It hurt like hell when I found out about Kate, but it hurt more not being able to talk to him about it. I mean what did he expect me to do Connor? Just ignore all the sneaking around he'd done for a week? The way he kept things from me that I had a right and a need to know?"

So he disappointed you? He didn't live up to your expectations?"

"That's not why I left? I mean, he's allowed to make mistakes, he's only human."

"I know that," Connor said softly. "but did you?"

"Yes."

Connor looked unconvinced but he let it drop. "Would you like to know what I think?"

"I think you're going to tell me anyway," Richie said.

"I think you're right. I think you do need some time on your own to work out your feelings."

Richie stared at Connor for a long time. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you believe you do. Nothing I say to you is going to change the way you're thinking currently. If time here on your own helps you to realise what you're missing at home then I think you should do it."

"You're hoping I'll get home sick." Richie said.

Connor smiled at Richie. "In a way."

Richie thought about it and then shrugged. As long as Connor wasn't going to try and get him to go home and he wasn't going to tell Mac he didn't care what Connor's reasons were.

"But I want you to do something for me." Connor said.

"What?" Richie asked suspiciously.

"Don't look so panicked. I want you to phone Duncan and Tessa tonight and let them know you're alright."

"That's all?" Richie asked.

"That's all."

"Ok then," Richie agreed.

"Glad we're agreed. I have some things to do today but I will meet you back here at seven tonight and we can phone them together."

"Together?" Richie asked.

"Yes," Connor nodded. He looked slightly worried for the first time. "I have to tell him I'm with you."

"Hi Richie, come in," Frankie smiled brightly and let Richie in the front door. "How's it going?"

"OK." Richie answered.

"Good good." Frankie said. "Did Liz answer your questions last night?"

"Kinda," Richie said.

"Kate's a tough one to figure out," Frankie said. "If I were you I wouldn't even try."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that." After having dinner with Liz and the rest of the family last night Richie had spent over an hour talking with Liz and he was still non the wiser as to why Kate acted as she had. All he knew now that he hadn't known then was that Kate's family were great. Which made it harder to understand why Kate had turned out as she had.

When he had been ready to leave Frankie had told him to come back in the morning and she would take him for a tour of the city.

"You look a little tired," she observed.

"Oh, a friend sorta dropped in last night to check on me. I guess I didn't sleep too well after that."

"Nice friend," Frankie said. "Did he have to travel far?"

"From New York."

Frankie's eyebrows shot up. "He came from New York to Check on you! That's some friend."

"Well he's sorta family. The guy I live with, it's his... cousin."

"Still a long way just to check on someone. Anyway if you're ready to go I am," Frankie said picking up her jacket.

"Yep, I'm ready."

Smiling Frankie pulled on her jacket and then led Richie out to her car.

"So is this your first time in England?" Frankie asked as she started the engine.

"Pretty much my first time out of Seacouver," Richie admitted.

"And you came on your own? That was brave."

"I wouldn't say it was brave," Richie said, Connor's words about him running away springing to mind. "Just something I needed to do."

"Still, I don't know if I could have done it." Frankie said. "I wouldn't like to be so far away from my family and everything I know."

"One good thing about not having a real family then," Richie said trying to sound like it didn't matter. Frankie knew he'd been brought up in foster homes. Kate had told her years ago when she'd first got back from America.

Frankie glanced at him before returning her eyes to the road. "You think you don't have a real family? Didn't you tell me about ten minutes ago that one of them came all the way from New York to see you?"

"Yeah."

"So what's he then?"

"Like family."

"Not family, just like family?"

"Something like that."

"Sometimes they're the best kind." Frankie said softly. "People that choose you instead of getting stuck with you. I doubt any of my cousins would fly to New York to check on me. And do I need to go into the cousin I do have? Or the brother who's in prison for repeatedly stealing cars?"

"Point made," Richie said, feeling a little better.

"Good, I was running out of things to say." Frankie grinned.

"You look tired," Connor commented when Richie let himself into his room just before seven.

"Do you just wanna share my room or something? Cos you're here more than me." Richie said closing the door.

"Nice offer, but I like my privacy," Connor said. "Did you have a nice day?"

"It was good, yeah," Richie said, seeing there was no point in mentioning Connor's new annoying habit of being in his room whenever he returned or woke up. "Frankie Hunt gave me tour of the city centre."

"That was nice of her," Connor said. "Are you seeing her again?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. She's showing me the pubs."

Connor frowned. "You're not quite nineteen yet."

"I didn't say I'd be drinking. And besides, the drinking age is eighteen here."

I know. That's what I'm worried about. Just promise me you'll think before you do anything."

"Connor, I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you will. But promise me anyway to make me feel better."

"Are you taking over from Tessa or something?" Richie asked falling onto his bed. He really was tired.

"Yes," Connor said. "And don't get too comfortable. You have to phone home now."

"I know." Richie sighed, sitting back up.

"No time like the present," Connor said passing Richie the phone.

"Don't you wanna go first?" Richie asked not taking the phone.

"No. I don't want you to speak with him after he finds out I'm here. He won't be happy about it."

Seeing the logic in it Richie accepted the phone and dialled the number for the Antique shop.

It rang a few times before Duncan picked it up.

"Hello?" he said.

For a moment Richie couldn't say anything. It had only been two days and already he was beginning to miss home... and Mac.

"Hello?" Mac said again.

'Speak,' Connor mouthed at him.

"Mac it's me," Richie said hesitantly.

"Richie? Are you ok? Where are you?"

"I'm ok Mac," Richie said. "Really, don't worry about me."

"Don't worry? Richie we have no idea where you are. Tessa's beside herself."

"I phoned when I got here," Richie said. "I told Tessa I was ok."

"I know you did, but she's still worried. I'm still worried."

"I'm fine Mac." Richie said softly. It was so hard to talk to Mac when he sounded so on edge. It wasn't like him.

"If you were fine you wouldn't have left in the middle of the night. You would have stayed and we could have worked everything out. I know I hurt you Richie, but I can't do anything about it if you won't let me."

"Mac..." Richie had no idea what to say to that. "I will come home, just not yet."

"Richie –"

"Please Mac, just give me a bit of time."

"At least tell me where you are."

"I can't Mac. Not yet."

"Richie," Mac began.

"I'll call again soon," Richie said then practically threw the phone to Connor. "I'll be back in a bit." He left without looking Back over his shoulder.

Connor picked up the phone. "Duncan."


	11. Pubbing it

A/N I know I'm messing with the time lines a bit, but I need to to get the story to where I want it. And I don't need an excuse not to do my college work, but it makes a nice change to have one.

Chapter eleven

"Connor?"

"Try and remain calm Duncan," Connor said, still staring at the door Richie had run out of.

"Calm?" Duncan asked incredulously.

"Yes calm. I can't talk to you if you don't."

"Okay. I'm calm," Duncan said in a barely controlled voice. "Now would you like to tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Connor sighed, this wasn't going to be fun. "Quite simply I am with Richie. He is fine, you don't have to worry."

"That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say Duncan?"

"Where you are for starters. How long you've known where he was while Tessa and I have been going out of our minds worrying about him," Duncan said, quickly losing his patience.

"I got here last night, I guessed where he was. And Richie doesn't want you to know. I can't tell you if he doesn't want me to."

Silence on the other end of the phone. "Does he hate me?" Duncan finally asked.

"No," Connor said firmly. "He doesn't. He's confused, very confused. He needs some time to himself to sort his mind out. I don't think this episode has that much to do with you and what happened and more to do with him trying to decide where he fits into everything. This whole Kate thing probably brought back a lot of bad memories and may have been the catalyst, but I don't think it's the real source."

"But he never left before Connor. He trusted me before."

"He still trusts you. But at the moment he needs you to respect what he wants. That's why I can't tell you where he is."

"All right Connor. I'll do it his way. Just look after him."

...

"The bedroom is through there," Connor pointed out to a shell shocked Richie. "The kitchen is just off the living room through there. It's a bit small but you're the only one that'll be living here so I don't suppose that'll be too much of an inconvenience."

"Are you serious about this?" Richie asked, his eyes wandering all over the flat.

"Completely. If you insist on staying here for the foreseeable future at least then staying in a hotel is just not going to work. You'll be out of money by the end of the month."

"Yeah, but how did you arrange all this so quick?" Richie asked.

"I know people," Connor said non-commitally. "You'll need to get a job though to keep up with your rent and bills. I have a work permit here for you."

Richie stared at Connor. Somehow in one day he had managed to find Richie a one bedroom flat, not far from the city centre and get it furnished and ready for Richie to move in the next day.

"This is great Connor, really great." Richie said sincerely.

"I try my best," Connor shrugged. "Besides, I'm needed somewhere else for a few days. I didn't want to leave you until you were settled."

"I can look after myself Connor," Richie said.

"I know you can. But it makes me feel better about leaving you in a foreign country where you don't know anyone."

"I'll be fine."

"I don't doubt it." Connor agreed. "But at least this way you can afford to stay long enough to do whatever you feel you need to do."

...

"Your friends gone home then?" Frankie asked placing a coke in front of Richie.

"I don't know. He said he had some things to do, but he didn't say where he was going." Richie could imagine what those things were but he could hardly voice any of those thoughts to Frankie. "He travels a lot on business," Richie said instead.

"What does he do?"

"Antiques," Richie said.

"Like the people you live with?"

"Mac and Tessa, yeah."

"So does he do that a lot? Just appear, then disappear?" Frankie asked sipping her own coke.

"Yes, actually. I think it runs in the family cos Mac does it too. You get used to it."

"I guess. So when do I get to see your flat then?"

"Whenever," Richie shrugged. "You're the only person I know round here."

Frankie grinned. "We can remedy that in a few minutes when my friends get here. You'll love them."

As if on cue Frankie turned at the sound of her name being shouted. She grinned and stood to greet her friends.

"Everyone this is Richie," she said as they took seats around the table. "Richie this is Tami," Frankie pointed out a tall blonde with brown eyes.

"Hi," Tami said with a smile.

"Nicole," Frankie introduced a girl with dark brown hair and green eyes.

"Nice to meet you," Nicole said.

"And finally Liam," Frankie said.

"Hi," Liam said smiling.

"So, bar," Tami said quickly. "Who wants what?"

"Bacardi and coke," Nicole said instantly. "I had my last exam today and I'm so ready to unwind," she explained to Richie. "No ice," she added to Tami.

"Liam?" Tami asked.

"Usual," Liam answered.

"Frankie, Richie?"

"Nah, we're good," Frankie said.

Tami frowned. "Why aren't you drinking tonight? We're celebrating end of exams."

"Because I celebrated end of exams on Tuesday aswell." Frankie said. "And I think I still have a headache from the morning after."

"Ok," Tami said frowning. "I'll let you off this once. Richie? What's your excuse?"

"I'm keeping Frankie company." Richie said.

"Ok, but next time we're celebrating you have to join us. Agreed?"

"Say nothing," Frankie advised. "Liam still has an exam to go, Tami's boyfriend who couldn't make it tonight, still has exams. So there are going to be a lot of celebratory nights. Say nothing and she can't hold you to anything."

"Kill joy," Tami shouted over her shoulder as she headed to the bar.

"We all went to school together," Frankie said to Richie. "The four of us. We have to go our separate ways this September, different uni's and stuff. We can still get together in holidays and everything but it's kinda like the end of an era. Hence all the celebratory nights out."

"Yep, Tami's going to Huddersfield to study art and textile design," Liam said. "I'm going to Barnsley to study music, Nicky's going to Bangor to do Law and Frankie is undecided on which uni but she's doing her nursing."

"I'm thinking of taking a year out first," Frankie explained. "I want to travel and just have time off learning before I start a career. I've been offered places at Birmingham and Wolverhampton though."

"Makes sense," Richie said. "I wish I had some idea what I wanted to do."

What is it you're doing at the moment?" Nicole asked.

"At home? I work in an Antique store. I live with the people that own it."

"So what are you doing all the way over here?" Nicky asked.

"Visiting me of course," Frankie said before Richie could answer.

"How do you know each other? You never mentioned a Richie to us Frankie."

"You know my aunt lived in America for a bit when I was younger. Richie lived next door to her. He came to catch up with Liz."

It was sort of the truth, Richie thought, if it did leave out some of the details. He was immensely grateful to Frankie for saying it though. It saved him from having to go into the real reasons, which nice as her friends seemed, he didn't want to go into with them.

"What have I missed?" Tami asked arriving back at the table with three drinks balanced in her hands.

...

After seeing Tami to her door and making just enough noise to wake up her mum, Richie walked Frankie home.

"One of us always stays sober," Frankie said as they strolled along. "That way we can make sure we all get home and can wake up a parent if one of us gets in a state like Tami has managed tonight."

"She was really going for it," Richie commented, remembering the Tequila shots Tami had been downing.

"Yeah. You know I mentioned her boyfriend couldn't make it tonight? Well he cancelled at the last minute. He's been doing that a lot lately and she's getting worried about it."

"Worried?"

Frankie nodded. "She's going to uni, he's going to uni. They're going to be miles apart most of the year. She's worried they won't make it. It doesn't help that I broke up with my boyfriend a couple of months ago and she's convinced that it was because he's going to Sheffield uni and I'm staying around here."

"Is it?"

"No," Frankie smiled. "Bath isn't really that far had we wanted to make it work. Truth is we just sorta fizzled out. We weren't meant to make it."

"Do you think Tami and her boyfriend will be able to deal with the distance?"

"Truthfully? They can barely handle it now. I hope they can for Tami's sake, but I just don't think Josh's heart is in it anymore. I wish Tami knew one way or another. It's hard to be there for a friend when they're stuck in limbo like this."

"So why doesn't she just talk to him?"

"Because she's scared of what she'll hear," Frankie said shrugging. "She loves him and is scared that he doesn't love her anymore. In her mind limbo is better than the ell she thinks she'll be in if it's over."

"But how is drinking going to help her?" Richie asked.

She can forget for a night." Frankie said simply. "I know it's not a good way to deal but we all do stupid things when we're trying to stop ourselves getting hurt."

"Wouldn't it be better to find out now though, than to let something drag on that shouldn't and get hurt more later?"

"Yeah, of course," Frankie said with a shrug. "But there's no talking to her in this mood. I'll talk with her tomorrow when she sobers up."

...

Frankie's room was, like the rest of the house, huge, and she had insisted Richie come in for a bit after walking her home, as it had started to rain. She had a double bed pushed into the far corner, covered with cuddly toys, a dressing table with potions and lotions galore on it, and numerous shelves full of books and ornaments. The walls were covered with posters of NOFX, Green Day and Metallica. Her desk was covered in framed photos of friends and family.

"Who's that?" Richie asked picking up one of the photos of a man with the same black hair as Frankie, and who looked scarily similar to her.

Frankie peered over his shoulder. "That's my brother. That photo was taken a week before he was sent to prison."

"Were you close?" Richie asked putting the photo down.

"I thought so. He's eight years older than I am, so I always looked up to him. I was jealous of him too cos he was always allowed to stay up later than me, go wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. But he looked out for me, got mum and dad to go easy on me if I did something wrong. Then he got caught stealing cars and other things. We find out he'd been teaching Kate how to do it and then all hell breaks loose. Kate's sods off and doesn't bother to call ever again and Shaun is sent to prison for eighteen months."

"I'm sorry." Richie said, seeing how upset Frankie was.

"I'm ok," Frankie said forcing a smile. "I suppose I just miss him sometimes. Even if he was an idiot. He's still my brother."

"Hey, where does that lead," Richie asked to change the subject and to fill the awkward silence that had descended. At the far side of the room was another door

Frankie followed his gaze and then smiled. "That is the reason why all the Hunt woman like to sit on the roof. Come on," she took him by the hand and led him to the door. Behind it was a staircase.

"Are we going up there?"

Frankie nodded, and headed up. There was a trap door at the top, which Frankie pushed open and climbed through.

"Wow," Richie said when he followed her up. They were on a small walkway, which appeared to go all along the back of the house and looked out over the city in the distance. It was a dazzling sight, even with the clouds covering the sky.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Frankie asked. "All the lights. Almost makes it worth living so near the city when you have a view like this."

"It is amazing," Richie agreed, transfixed.

"All the rooms at the back of the house lead up to here," Frankie said. "It's where I did all my coursework for my GCSE's and studied for my A levels. I love it up here."

"I can see why," Richie said, finally looking away from the view and back at Frankie.

"Another reason why I'd hate to be far from home. I'd be away from all this too."

"You're really close to your family aren't you?"

"Yeah. We've been through a lot together. I know everyone of them loves me more than life. And I feel the same way about them."

"Can I ask you something? Hypothetically?" Richie said.

"Sure."

"If you love someone, and you'd do anything for them and vice versa, is it okay to keep things from them? Not actually lie, just keep things from them that they should probably know?"

"Should know, not need to know?" Frankie clarified.

"I guess."

"Then, in some circumstances it's probably ok. Maybe not ideal, but ok. Like if it was something that would hurt the person you love, but by knowing they couldn't do anything to change it, why would you tell them if you didn't have to? Wouldn't you want to protect them from feeling that if you could?"

"Don't you think it would hurt more if they found out at a later date you had kept things from them?"

"Maybe. I suppose that's when you have to trust that your relationship is strong enough to withstand it. That the trust, faith and love you share will be enough for them to forgive you and to help them get over whatever it is. And I suppose you'd have to use your own judgement in that situation, because different people deal with things in different ways and react to things in different ways."

...

Connor landed at the airport just before midday. Duncan was there to greet him.

"Everything ok?" Duncan asked.

"Yes," Connor answered.

"And Richie's ok in England?"

Connor froze. "How long have you known where he was?"

Duncan smiled." Since I spoke to you. He isn't that hard to track down."

"No, he isn't is he? Richie was fine when I left him last week. I had a few...problems I had to see to."

"That's all dealt with now I take it," Duncan asked.

"Of course."

"Then let's get you home. Tessa's cooking."

...

Three weeks later Connor and Duncan returned from an afternoon of sparring in high spirits. That quickly changed however when they saw Tessa. Something was wrong, that much was obvious from the expression on her face.

"Tessa? What's the matter? Is Richie ok?" Duncan asked.

She nodded. "Yes, he phoned first thing."

Ever since Connor had left Richie in England he had rang once a day to just let them know he was ok.

"Then what's wrong?" Duncan asked, sounding a little calmer.

"It's Darius..."

...


	12. Climbing

Chapter twelve

3 weeks previously.

"I have a job interview today," Richie told Frankie as they walked through the city centre. Frankie had planned another day of things for them to do.

"Really? Where?" Frankie asked.

"The pub we were in last night. They're recruiting for the summer."

"No that would be cool, you working in my local," Frankie grinned. "You better get the job."

"Here's to hoping," Richie agreed.

"What time is it?" Frankie asked.

"4pm."

"Good. That means we have plenty if time to do what I have planned for us."

"What are we actually doing today?" he asked when he realised he had no idea where they were.

"We're going climbing." Frankie answered.

"Climbing?" Richie repeated.

"Yeah. As in a big wall with handgrips and footholds that you pull yourself up. It'll be fun. I think..."

"But I've never done it before," Richie said, images of Frankie speeding to the top while he struggled to make it half way assaulted his mind.

"Neither have I. They have instructors. We'll be fine."

"You've never been before?"

"Nope."

"So why today?"

"Because I don't want to do it on my own, and no one else I know would come."

"Frankie you have loads of friends," Richie pointed out.

"I know. But have you ever tried to get people organised? Tami's too much of a girl to risk her nails on a climbing wall; Nicky would find it pointless, and she only does things if they have a point, Liam is scared of heights so he wouldn't even entertain the idea for a second. Everyone else still has exams or they just don't wanna go climbing with me." Frankie explained.

"How do you know I'm not scared of heights or something?" Richie asked, still unsure whether he wanted to do this.

"Are you?" Frankie asked without slowing her pace.

"Well, no..."

"So there's no problem." Frankie said. "Truth is Richie, I'm taking advantage of you. I know you don't know the town so I know I can get away with things like this. I figured once you were here you'd do it because you seem the type to try anything once. And I really wanna try this," she finished, flashing a pleading look at Richie. "So will you try it?"

Richie sighed knowing he was beaten. "For you Frankie, anything."

"That's what I like to hear," Frankie said, striding ahead with renewed vigour.

...

"Check the knot," the instructor, Steve, said to Richie.

He ran his fingers around the figure of eight knot Frankie had tied to her harness and gave it a pull. "Looks ok to me," he said.

"Ok then. Frankie, check his knot."

It was the third wall they had climbed. Richie was finding it relatively easy and enjoyable. Frankie was enjoying it, but she was definitely finding it harder. Her cheeks were still red from the effort she had exerted on the last wall.

The main difference of this climb to the others was this was the first time that they were going to be responsible for each other. Richie was going to be holding the rope for Frankie this time instead of the instructor as she climbed up, and knowing her, caught her when she fell off.

"Ok," Frankie said taking her position at the base of the wall.

"Climb when ready," Richie said. He watched her take a deep breath and grab her first handhold.

"Just remember," Steve said to Richie. "Always have a firm grip on the rope with one hand in case she falls... good. Try and keep the rope tight, but not so tight you're pulling her up. And if it looks like she's going to fall just keep hold of the rope, that'll take all her weight."

Richie listened to Steve while watching Frankie climb. She was doing quite well for a change...

Just as he had that thought he watched Frankie's foot slip on a foothold and lose her grip completely on the wall. He felt a tug on the rope and held on while Frankie spun slightly.

"The lady hardly weighs anything does she?" Steve asked with a smile.

"Careful," Frankie warned as she hung in the air.

Richie just smiled. "Light as a feather Frankie."

That knowledge helped put to rest his fears that Frankie wouldn't be able to hold his weight when it was her turn to hold the rope.

With a loud sigh Frankie twirled herself around and reached out for a handgrip to pull herself back onto the wall.

"You're doing well," Steve shouted up encouragingly, "halfway there now."

Frankie only fell off once more before making it to the top of the wall.

"Lean back when you're ready," Richie called up to her. That was her least favourite bit, leaning back into nothing with only a man holding a rope to stop her falling.

"Just don't drop me, it'll put a serious strain on our blossoming friendship," Frankie mumbled.

"Nice and slow," Steve coached from next to Richie. "Last thing you want to do is panic her. When she gets to the bottom make sure you give her enough slack to untie the rope comfortably."

Frankie looked decidedly happy to have her feet on the ground again.

"This was your idea remember," Richie said with a smile.

"I know," Frankie said. "And I'm having fun. Your turn to climb. I promise I won't drop you," Frankie said with an evil grin.

"Frankie," Richie said putting a hand on her shoulder, "I don't fall off like you do."

"That was nasty," Frankie said with mock indignance. "You just wait till you're abseiling down that wall mister."

...

Half an hour later they were sat in a Starbucks not far from the climbing centre.

"I can't believe I fell off so many times," Frankie said frowning.

"You kept using your arms instead of you legs." Richie said.

Frankie groaned. "I know. Steve mentioned it like a hundred times. Legs are stronger than arms. Push with your legs." Frankie said mimicking their instructor. "My arms are gonna kill tomorrow."

"Yep," Richie agreed.

Shooting him a dirty look Frankie sipped her coffee. "I still wanna go back next week," she said.

"Are you serious?" Richie asked surprised.

"Deadly. Just cos I'm not very good at it doesn't mean I don't want to have another go. I can't exactly get worse can I?"

"There is that," Richie agreed.

"Hey," Frankie said slapping his shoulder playfully. "You're supposed to be the supportive friend right now."

"I am but you wouldn't want me to lie to you would you would you?"

"Heck yes," Frankie said without pausing to think.

Richie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You could be economical with the truth when it comes to my climbing abilities."

"That's still sorta lying Frankie."

"Who taught you honesty's the best policy?" Frankie demanded. "Lie to me so I'll go back and surprise myself at how good I really am, cos obviously this was just an off week for me."

"Ok. You are possibly the best climber I have ever had the joy of watching climb. And next week you will be even more of a joy to watch. Better?"

"Much," Frankie said laughing. "But I did suck didn't I?"

"You want me to lie again?" Richie asked with a grin.

Frankie narrowed her eyes at him. "Use your best judgment."

"Right. Yeah you sucked..."

...

"I have nothing to wear to a job interview," Richie moaned to Frankie.

"You really didn't think much when you decided to come over here did you?" Frankie said searching through the wardrobe.

"It was kind of a last minute thing," Richie said not looking at her.

"Uh huh. Well luckily for you this is an interview for a pub. I think we definitely getaway without a suit and tie for the occasion."

"Really?"

"Yep," Frankie said pulling out some items of clothing. "This isn't the antique world now. It's a student pub near the heart of Birmingham. As long as you interview well and look smart you'll walk it. Try those on. I'll make tea."

Richie waited till Frankie had shut the door behind her then put on the clothes she had picked out for his interview. After looking at himself for a few minutes in the mirror he decided maybe Frankie was right, maybe a shirt and tie would have been too much for an interview in a pub.

"How do I look?" Richie asked walking into his kitchen.

Frankie looked him up and down. "Like a barman," she said smiling. "I think you'll pass."

"Now I just have to get the job." Richie said.

"You'll do great. Bar work isn't exactly rocket science. Just be personable. Barmen have to be sociable. You shouldn't have a problem with that part of it."

"Yeah, just the rest of it."

"It's no more important than any other job interview you've had, just keep thinking that."

"I'd love to, but I've never actually been to a job interview."

"Seriously? Never? But you work back home."

"Yeah, for Mac and Tessa. I wasn't exactly interviewed for it. It just kinda came with the room."

"But... you only moved in with them when you were seventeen. Didn't you have a job before that?"

"Frankie," Richie said patiently, "I was a thief. That's how I earnt my money till I moved in with Mac and Tessa."

"Oh yeah. I keep forgetting that." Frankie said. "Ok then. Well don't worry about it. You'll do great."

Richie raised an eyebrow, looking far from convinced. "If you say so."

"Just be yourself and you'll be fine."

"I don't have the first idea about bar work though."

"It's simple. People come up, ask for a drink, you give it them, they give you money. Occasionally you go collect glasses and put them through the dishwasher."

"I still think I'm going to need a miracle," Richie said sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Yeah?" Frankie asked, sitting next to him. "Maybe I can help with that." She said taking off one of her necklaces. "This is my miraculous medal," She said passing the silver necklace to Richie. "My Godfather gave it to me when I made my first Communion. I never take it off usually. It's a representation of the Virgin Mary. Miraculous things are said to happen when you wear her medal."

Richie looked at the necklace in his hand and then back to Frankie. "I can't take this."

"Why not? Even if you aren't religious it may still bring you luck."

"It's not that," Richie said quickly. "It's cos it's yours. You've had it for ten years, it must be special to you."

"So it's time to get a new one. Please take it. It is special to me, which is why I want you to have it. Things like these are meant to be passed on to people that need them. You're miles from home, you hardly know anyone and you're trying to make this work. You need it more than I do. Besides I can get another one and give that one to a friend in ten years when I think they need it. Just say thank you."

Richie stared into Frankie's eyes for another moment. Frankie stared back. "Thank you," he said finally.

...

"I start Monday," Richie said grinning.

"Fantastic," Frankie smiled back. "I told you you'd walk it."

"Guess you were right again."

"So, if you're starting on Monday does that mean you have the weekend free?"

"Yeah, I guess," Richie nodded.

"Cool. A friend of mine is getting married tomorrow. I know this is amazingly short notice, but do you want to come with me? Nicky and Liam are going aswell so you'll know a few of us. And Chloe, the bride, is really nice. You'll like her."

"I would... But you went through my wardrobe earlier. I don't have anything to wear."

"Borrow something from Liam," Frankie suggested. "He won't mind, he likes you."

"You really want me to come?"

"Richie," Frankie said. "If I didn't want you to come I wouldn't have invited you. You're my friend. I like spending time with you. So will you come?"

Richie nodded. "Ok, but I don't dance."

Frankie smiled. "Course you don't..."


	13. wedding

A/N Sarah: I get what you're saying and appreciate the comments, but to get the story where I want to take it these chapters are needed. I haven't finished with Kate yet, that will be resolved later though, I haven't forgot about it. The lyrics are taken from the song "Lullaby", by Creed. Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti wrote it. All credit goes to them; I had nothing to do with it so please don't sue me. 

Chapter thirteen

Richie met Liam at his house at 9am the following morning. He was greeted by Liam's mum who ushered Richie upstairs to Liam's bedroom.

"Hey," Liam said. "I'm nearly ready. "Do you wanna wear the dark blue or the grey suit?"

"Dark blue I guess," Richie answered.

Liam looked around, a smile playing on his lips. "You not much of a suit wearer?"

Richie shrugged. "I wear one when I have to."

"Yeah, like me. At my wedding, I swear, I'm wearing my jeans and I'm insisting all the guests do the same."

Richie smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"Now I just have to find a lady that would agree to that."

"Good luck," Richie said, thinking about all the girls he knew and knowing not one of them would allow that on her wedding day.

"One dark blue suit," Liam said passing it to Richie. "We'll discuss ties after."

Richie got changed into Liam's suit and then started looking through the array of ties he had.

"You a dancing man?" Liam asked coming up behind him.

"No," Richie said quickly. "I don't dance."

"Not at all?"

Richie shook his head.

"Ready to change that?"

"Why?"

Liam looked at him commiseratingly. "You know Frankie, nice girl, black hair, kinda pushy at times?"

"Yeah."

"She loves to dance. As does Tami really. You don't have a chance. One of them will have you on the floor before the end of the night."

"No seriously," Richie said, starting to wish he'd said he had plans. "I don't dance at all."

Liam smiled at him. "Keep telling yourself that and maybe the girls will listen."

...

Richie had never been to a wedding before, let alone a Catholic one that lasted an hour and a half.

"Chloe's not marrying a Catholic," Frankie whispered to Richie, as the service began. "Her mum freaked a little. So to try and convince her mum that she wasn't going to leave the church and become a heathen or something she's having the full wedding service. Wedding mass followed by the actual ceremony.

For once being a foster kid was helpful. A few of the many homes he had stayed in were Catholics and had dragged Riche to a few of the services so he knew the general routine of the mass and didn't get too confused by all the kneeling, standing and chanting that was going on. Frankie seemed miles away. It was the first time Richie had seen her in church and, while he knew she had been going to this same church or years, he had half expected her to look bored half way through like the foster parents he'd come with had. But she didn't. She was completely captivated from start to end.

And Richie found himself totally captivated by Frankie. It wasn't the make up, that he'd never seen her wear before, or the way her hair looked so silky and perfectly straight as it hung around her face, or even the clothes she was wearing. (Up until that morning Richie had only ever seen Frankie in jeans or combats and band t-shirts. Today she was wearing a black skirt that finished just above her knee and a plain white top that just made her look absolutely stunning.)

No, it wasn't just the transformation from tomboy to young lady; it was everything about her at that moment. The look of peace and contentment throughout the service and the look of pure delight as the bride and groom were announced husband and wife. Frankie Hunt was happy and it was obvious for the entire world, and Richie, to see. In that moment Richie had never felt so jealous in all his life. Frankie was happy and content in her life. It was how Richie had thought he had felt up until the whole Kate incident. Not that life was perfect before. There were things he wanted and couldn't have, little arguments with Tessa or Mac, but basically life had been great. And now it wasn't.

Richie had been away from home for two weeks and he was missing it like crazy, but he still couldn't bring himself to go home yet. Still couldn't face seeing Mac.

"Richie? You ok?"

Richie pushed those thoughts aside as he turned to Frankie and plastered a fake smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Frankie didn't look convinced but she let it drop.

...

Liam was right. They had been at the reception for half an hour the first time Frankie tried to get him to dance.

"Please," she had begged.

"No chance," Richie said adamantly. "I will not dance to Tina Turner. I have some pride you know."

"It's a wedding, it doesn't matter if the songs are lame."

"It does. I'm not dancing, I told you I don't dance."

Frankie frowned. "We haven't finished discussing this yet," she said before returning to the dance floor.

"There's nothing to discuss," he shouted after her.

"That we agree on!" Frankie shouted back.

An hour later Frankie flopped down next to him.

"I'll see you later mate," the man Richie had been talking to said, looking at Frankie and winking at him.

"Who's that?" Frankie asked sipping her drink.

"Friend of the groom," Richie answered.

"Wanna dance yet?"

"No."

"Good, I'm knackered," Frankie said taking another sip.

"So why ask?"

"Just in case. You look nice in blue."

"Er, thanks," Richie said trying to keep up with the topics of conversation.

"My shoes are killing me," Frankie said taking them off.

Not for the first time Richie wondered why girls always wore shoes that they had to take off after an hour because they were painful. It didn't make sense to Richie.

"Francesca! Why are you not dancing?" Tami came bounding over, shoes in hand instead of on feet.

"I need a break and wanted to chat to Richie." Frankie said.

"Francesca?" Richie repeated.

Frankie scowled. "Yes Richard."

"She hates her name," Tami whispered loudly.

"I do not. I like my name. But it's Frankie, not Francesca. Nobody calls me Francesca unless I'm in trouble."

"Yeah, same," Richie said.

"So don't call me Francesca and I won't call you Richard. Deal?"

Deal."

"Good. So, are you going to come dance now?"

Richie groaned. "We've been through this. I don't dance. I don't want to dance. I'm not going to dance."

Frankie smiled. "Sure. I'll be back in a bit."

Richie watched her practically bounce off with Tami.

"Hey Rich," Liam said coming to sit down next to him. "They still pestering you?"

"Yep. And I don't think they're going to stop."

"You're probably right. Especially after they've had a few. And especially as Frankie really likes you."

"Why do you say that?" Richie asked.

"How much time she spends with you," Liam said.

"That's only because I don't know many people here," Richie said.

"No, that's not it," Liam shook his head. "She's not the kind of person to just invite someone into her life. She has to like them a lot to include them in the way she's including you."

"Frankie has loads of friends though," Richie said.

"She sorta does. She knows a lot of people and socialises with a lot of people, but she doesn't spend a day in town with many of them. She doesn't go climbing or invite them to weddings. Don't get me wrong, she's one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but she's careful about the people she lets in. Tami, Nicky and me have known her for years, she trusts us. She seems to trust you. There aren't many others she does, especially after what happened with her brother."

"Him being arrested?" Richie asked.

Liam nodded. "Shocked the whole family. Between Shaun and Kate last year was not a good year for her."

"But she seems so happy all the time," Richie said, trying to imagine Frankie having trust issues.

"That's cos she is." Liam said smiling. "Like I said, she'll speak with anyone, socialise with anyone, but she doesn't take to everyone like she has to you. But she still has stuff to deal with. We all do. I just wanted you to know that she does really care about you and she can be a really good friend if you need one," he finished pointedly.

"What are you trying to say?" Richie asked, not really liking the tone that Liam had adopted.

"I'm not trying to say anything. It's just blatantly obvious you have something on your mind, most of the time and you don't want to go into it, and that's fine. Non of my business and all that, but eventually everyone needs a friend to be there. Frankie will always be there."

"Am I that transparent?" Richie asked. Did everyone here think he had problems?

"Only to the trained eye," Liam assured him. "Anyway, do you want another drink?"

...

Frankie tried to get Richie to dance a further three times before the end of the night.

"It's 11pm, I give in," Frankie said to Richie finally. The Bride and Groom had left to pack for the honeymoon and the only people left on the dance floor were the lovey dovey couples.

"Thank God," Richie sighed.

Frankie smiled tiredly. "Have you had a good day though?"

"Yeah," Richie answered, smiling when Frankie rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad."

They sat in silence for a moment. Tami and Liam came to join them each looking as tired as Frankie.

"Last song of the night now everyone," the DJ announced a few minutes later.

As the first few notes began to play the three friends all sat up and looked at each other.

"What?" Richie asked.

"This is our song," Tami said. "We have to dance to this."

"You two go, I'll wait here," Frankie said. "Really, I'm tired." She said when neither of them moved.

"Ok," Tami said, not looking happy, but she let Liam lead her to the centre of the floor.

"Your song?" Richie questioned.

"Yeah, we always dance to it with each other, or our significant other at the time," Frankie explained.

Richie watched Liam and Tami for a few minutes with Frankie, before standing and pulling Frankie to her feet.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked softly.

"But you don't dance," Frankie said equally softly.

"I do this once," Richie said.

"Then I'd love to," Frankie accepted.

They made it onto the floor just in time for the start of the second verse. Richie wrapped his arms around Frankie's waist as she put her arms around his neck.

"_Oh my love... in my arms tight_

_Every day you give me life_

_As I drift off to your world_

_Rest in peaceful sleep_

Richie and Frankie kept their eyes on each other, neither one of them seemed to be blinking. Richie noticed for the second time that day how beautiful she was.

_I know there's one thing that you showed me_

_That you showed me_

She smelt like roses. Her eyes were so very bright and her hair so soft as he brushed it back from her face.

_Just give love to all_

_Let's give love to all." _

Richie wasn't sure who leaned in first, him or Frankie, all he knew was one minute he was staring into her eyes, then they were kissing.

Richie pulled back first as the song ended and people began to leave the floor.

"I..." Richie searched for the right words. He had no idea what had just happened, all he knew was it shouldn't have happened. Frankie had been drinking, she was tired, she couldn't have meant for that to happen.

He took another step back. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

Frankie looked decidedly confused. "Richie," she began but stopped when Tami and Liam joined them.

"You two ready to go?" Tami asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Frankie said staring at Richie for a moment, her eyes searching his. "I'll just get my coat."


	14. sad news

Chapter fourteen

"Hi Tess," Richie said. It was mid afternoon in Seacouver. It was later than his usual time for phoning home but it was Tessa as always that answered the phone.

"Are you ok Richie?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok," Richie said.

"Then why don't I believe you?" Tessa asked in her most motherly voice.

"It's nothing really Tess," Richie said. He was wandering aimlessly around his flat, feeling generally sorry for himself.

"Why don't you tell me what the nothing is and I'll decide for myself?"

"You'll just think I'm being stupid."

"Just spit it out," Tessa suggested.

Richie sighed. "I've met this girl," he began.

"That was quick," Tessa said. "What's she like?"

"She's great. Funny, intelligent, sweet. That's kinda the problem."

"How is that a problem?"

"I really like her. I mean, really like her."

"And what does she think of you?"

"I guess I don't really know," Richie admitted.

"Well, have you considered asking her?"

"I don't think she's talking to me at the moment."

"Why? What happened?" Tessa asked.

Richie sighed again. "I kissed her yesterday. I don't know what happened Tess. One minute we were just dancing together and the next we were kissing."

"Did she pull away first?" Tessa asked.

"No, I did," Richie said, unsure what Tessa's point was.

"Was she upset?"

"I'm not really sure," Richie said. "We were out with some friends of hers and they came back just after I pulled back."

"So how do you know that she didn't want to kiss you?" Tessa asked.

Richie went quiet for a minute. "Because she isn't speaking to me today," he said finally.

"Have you been to see her?" Tessa asked.

"Well, no. I phoned her though and she wasn't herself."

"In what way?"

"She was distant."

"Perhaps she was tired."

"She's not tired," Richie said dismissively. "She's not talking to me."

"How much do you like this girl Richie?"

"A lot," Richie said.

"Then, don't phone her. Go to her house and speak with her. If she is angry or upset apologise to her. Don't just give up."

"Maybe you're right," Richie had been thinking of doing that anyway, but face to face rejection was somehow harder than over the phone rejection.

"So you're going to go and talk to her?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Good. Apart from girl trouble how are you?" Tessa asked in a softer voice.

"I'm alright, you don't have to worry about me," Richie said sitting down in an armchair.

"I do. It's in my nature Richie."

"Really, I am fine. Connor made sure before he left."

"I know," Tessa said. "He's staying with us at the moment. But knowing it and seeing it are two different things. We miss you."

"I miss you too Tessa." Richie sighed.

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know," Richie admitted. "I'm not ready yet."

Tessa went quiet for a minute. "OK, Just keep calling till you are ready to come back to us. Promise me."

"I promise Tessa," Richie said.

"Then go and speak to that girl." Tessa said brightly. "She would be lucky to have you."

…

Richie arrived at Frankie's house a little after eight. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. It was Liz that opened the door.

"Richie," she greeted smiling brightly. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Richie said.

"Are you here to see Frankie?"

"Yeah," Richie said, stepping into the house.

"She's in her room," Liz said, shutting the door behind her. "Do you know where it is?"

"Yeah, thanks," Richie said.

"Ok then, go right up."

Richie went up the stairs to Frankie's room. Her door was closed and she had some music playing at a low volume. Taking a deep breath Richie knocked on the door.

"What?" he heard Frankie call.

Richie pushed open her bedroom door. "I wanted to talk to you," Richie said.

Frankie who had been lying on her bed when Richie opened the door sat up when she saw him. "Hi. You called earlier. We spoke then."

"Yeah, we did. But you didn't sound like you," Richie said.

"Who did I sound like?" Frankie asked.

"You know what I mean," Richie said.

"I'm just a bit tired today." Frankie said. "Late night last night and all that."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Yeah, What else could it be?" Frankie said crossing her arms.

"That's what I was wondering," Richie said, now absolutely certain there was something wrong.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Frankie asked.

"It means you're acting weird. You were snappy on the phone this morning and you're not being you."

Frankie raised an eyebrow. "Not being me," she repeated.

"No you're not. I just want to know if it was something I did."

"Why? Have you done something to upset me?"

"I don't know," Richie said starting to get frustrated. "All I know is everything was fine and now it isn't. If I did something tell me, if I didn't then why are you being so off with me?"

"I'm not being off with you."

"I'm not imagining this Frankie. Is it because I kissed you last night? Cos I'm sorry if I overstepped the friendship boundary or something, but we can't go back now."

Frankie stood up. "You didn't kiss me. We kissed each other. And I know we can't go back."

"So you aren't angry about that?" Richie asked getting more and more confused the longer he spent talking to Frankie.

"No."

"So what are you angry about?"

"Who says I'm angry?" Frankie asked her voice rising.

"I do," Richie said, his voice rising to match Frankie's.

"Well I'm not!"

"Then why are you shouting?!"

"Because!" Frankie said heading toward the door that led up to the roof.

"Frankie!" Richie followed her to the stairs.

"I wanna be left alone," Frankie shouted down.

"Sure. Soon as you tell me what I did!" Richie said continuing to follow.

"You did nothing," Frankie said.

"I don't believe you."

"Why are you so persistent?" Frankie asked turning to face him when he climbed onto the roof.

"Guess I learnt from the best," Richie said, thinking of all the times that Mac or Tessa had hounded him until he told them what the problem was.

"Can't you unlearn it?" She asked, hands on hips.

"Not really," Richie said.

Frankie sighed. "I'm really not angry with you." She dropped her hands to the side and sat down on the edge of the roof, dangling her feet over the side.

"So what's wrong?" Richie asked sitting next to her.

"I was upset," she said looking out over the city.

"What about?"

"The kiss," Frankie admitted.

"I really am sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Don't you get it?" Frankie asked, finally making eye contact with Richie. "That's why I'm upset! You pulled away from me after about a second and apologised to me! Didn't it ever occur to you that I wanted it as much as you?"

Richie was actually at a loss for words, for possibly the first time in his life. "But…" he stuttered out.

"But what?" Frankie asked, looking away again.

"Are you serious?"

"No, I'm making it up," Frankie said sarcastically. "What do you think? We've spent the last two weeks together and it turns out I really like you, more than I thought I would."

"Really?" Richie said staring at Frankie's profile.

"You have to stop saying stuff like that," Frankie said glancing back at him.

"Sorry, I'm just confused. I thought you were angry because I'd kissed you, not because I pulled away after kissing you."

"Yeah well," Frankie shrugged. "I'm sorry for being off with you. It wasn't your fault."

"As long as we're ok Frankie. I don't want to lose your friendship."

"You won't lose my friendship, Richie. I'm a permanent fixture now," Frankie said with a small smile.

Richie continued to stare at Frankie for a long time, trying to decide what to do. He had never had a girl say anything even remotely like that to him before, especially not a girl he liked.

"Frankie?" Richie said softly.

"Mmm?" Frankie replied, not taking her eyes off the city lights.

"Did you mean that stuff you just said?"

"What stuff?" Frankie asked.

"About really liking me?"

"I'm sat here embarrassing myself aren't I?" Frankie asked.

"So if I did this," Richie put a hand to Frankie's face and gently made her turn to look at him. He leant in, keeping his eyes locked on hers and kissed her lightly. "What would you say?" Richie finished.

Frankie stared for a moment, the lent in closely to Richie. "I'd say, kiss me again," she said smiling brightly.

…

Richie was tired. It was his first night at work and while he was enjoying it immensely, he was also amazingly tired. Frankie, Liam, Nicole, Tami and her usually absent boyfriend Josh had all been propping up the bar most of the night.

"How are you doing?" Frankie asked when he came over to pour her a drink just before last orders.

"Tired, but ok," Richie said smiling.

"You seem to be handling it alright," Frankie said approvingly.

"Thanks. So what can I get you?"

"Cider and black. You going to meet us after you finish?" Frankie asked while Richie poured her drink.

"Are you still going to be around here at 12?" Richie asked.

"Yeah. We'll go to subway and get the guys a sandwich or something and hang round till you finish."

"You don't have to you know," Richie said passing her her pint and accepting her money.

"I want to," Frankie said taking a sip.

"K then," Richie grinned, handing over her change. He liked this whole having a girlfriend thing, especially one like Frankie.

…

Two weeks later Richie had got the hang of fitting in his work with spending lots of quality time with Frankie.

"So it's your day off tomorrow?" Frankie asked as they walked hand in hand towards Victoria Square.

"Yep," Richie said.

"So I can have you all to myself for the whole day?" Frankie asked.

Richie grinned. "You can have me all to yourself anyday."

Frankie grinned back. "Careful, I may hold you to that."

"So did you have anything in mind for tomorrow?"

Frankie shook her head. "Nah. I just thought we could chill together for the day."

"Sounds good to me," Richie said, looking forward to spending an entire day relaxing with just Frankie.

…

The next morning they spent a few hours wandering through the museum and art gallery.

"Do you like art?" Richie asked noticing that Frankie was frowning at some of the paintings.

"Well, kinda," Frankie said turning her head onto its side slightly.

"Kinda," Richie asked.

"Yeah. I like Tami's art cos she's my friend and she explains to me, in great detail, whether I want to hear it or not, what it means. I have absolutely no idea what most of this stuff is supposed to represent."

"The one you're looking at right now," Richie said." Is a self-portrait. It represents the painter."

Frankie shot him a dirty look. "You really think you're funny don't you? I get that, what I don't get is why anyone would want to spend so long painting themselves."

"So there'd be a record of them left after they'd gone." Richie said.

"Isn't their art supposed to represent them?"

Richie shrugged. "Maybe some people want a record of themselves after they die, for friends and family."

"I guess. I mean when someone we love dies we want to look at photos and stuff. But I'm just not an art lover."

"Me either," Richie admitted. "Tessa keeps trying to get me into it, but it's just not my thing."

"Tessa likes art?" Frankie asked, taking his hand and leading him away from the paintings.

"She's an artist. She makes sculptures and stuff. She's really good."

"I'd like to see some of her stuff."

"You won't be able to miss it when you come to Seacouver."

"So you do plan on taking me home to meet your family?" Frankie asked.

"Of course I do," Richie said. "You're a permanent in my life too."

Frankie smiled. "Cool. I've never been to America."

"Never?"

"Nope. I've been to a lot of places in Europe and to Australia, South Africa, but ever America."

"How come?"

"Cos my parents were always paying so they always got to chose where we went on holiday. They always chose Europe, Australia and Africa."

"What did you think of Australia? I've always wanted to go there."

"Too hot and too many spiders. Apart from that it was absolutely gorgeous."

"So maybe we could go together one day?" Richie suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Frankie said.

…

They arrived back at Frankie's just before dark.

"You coming in for a bit?" Frankie asked unlocking the front door.

Richie nodded. "Sure," he said following her in.

"I wanted to ask you something," Frankie said, leading the way up to her room. "You haven't got to answer, but I wanted to ask."

"Ok," Richie said, closing he door behind them. "Ask away."

"It's really personal," Frankie warned.

"Just ask me Frankie."

"Ok. Why did you come to England. I know it was something to do with Kate or you wouldn't have come and asked Liz. But the people you live with… You talk about them like they mean a lot to you, but apart from that guy Connor no one knows you're here."

"It's complicated," Richie said crossing his arms.

"If you don't want to tell me you haven't got to."

"No it's ok," Richie said sitting down. "I don't know if it'll make sense to you though."

"Try me," Frankie said sitting next to him.

"They didn't trust Kate. Mac especially from the moment they met her. They looked into her. It was a friend of Mac's that phoned here and spoke to Liz. He spent a week looking into her story and checking her out."

"So they found out she was lying?" Frankie asked.

Richie nodded. "Mac got proof, he showed it to me. I confronted Kate. She lied to me. I needed to come and find out why. I needed to get away for a while."

"I understand that you wanted answers, but why don't you want them to know where you are?"

"Because I need to deal with everything. They spent a week looking into her story. A week. That was a week that I spent with her not knowing what was going on. They should have told me before that."

"Yeah probably. But maybe they didn't want to say anything in case they were wrong."

"Mac knew he wasn't wrong. He just didn't think I'd believe him. That's why he wanted proof first."

"Ok, so why wouldn't you believe him?"

"Because me and Kate used to be really close. He thought I'd take her side, believe what she said."

"Would you have?"

"Maybe," Richie allowed. "But only at first. I know Mac wouldn't lie to me about something like that. But he did keep stuff from me that I needed to know. We had a deal. We weren't supposed to keep stuff from each other."

"A deal huh?" Frankie asked.

Richie nodded. "And he didn't stick to it."

"Ok. So the guy slipped once. He's allowed to make a mistake isn't he?"

"Yeah. But he made me promise to always be straight with him and then he isn't with me."

"I get that. But if he didn't care he wouldn't have checked her out."

"I know he cares. But I just wanted some time on my own. I wanted to get away."

"And why haven't you told anyone where you are?"

"You don't know Mac. If he knew where I was he'd come looking for me. He can't leave anything unresolved for long."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Frankie asked raising an eyebrow. "Things shouldn't be allowed to fester."

"I know you're right. I know I should let them know where I am. But I don't want to go home yet and deal with the real world. I want to stay here with you."

Frankie broke out into a grin. "Yeah, the real world can wait, " she said planting a kiss on his lips.

…

5 days later the sound of the phone ringing woke Richie. Groaning he rolled over in bed and looked at the clock.

"2.30…" he muttered. He'd only been in bed an hour. This had better be good…

"Yeah?" he asked picking up the phone.

"Richie?"

"Mac? What's the matter?" Richie asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes, forgetting for a moment that Mac wasn't supposed to know where he was.

"You don't have to come home or anything," Mac said in a strained voice. "But I just thought you should know."

"Know what?" Richie asked feeling wide-awake now.

"It's Darius Richie. He's dead."


	15. Going home

A/N Ok, so it's been absolutely forever since I updated and there's probably no one that actually knows what's going on in my story any more. (Thankfully, I have chapter plans or I wouldn't even know where I was trying to go with it.) I'm really sorry I've been away so long, there's been a lot going on in my life, new boyfriend, new job, just started uni doing my nurse training… Basically I have been stupidly busy. Will be trying to do updates that are more regular again now.

Disclaimer: Any bits that appear to have been lifted from the plot of the episode "The watchers," probably has been, so all credit to the writers. Only the bits you don't recognise belong to me.

Chapter fifteen

"What do you mean he was in the church?" Richie demanded as he threw things into his bag without bothering to fold anything.

"Just that," Connor replied from the other end of the phone. "He was found dead inside the church. Found by a parishioner. Police believe he was killed where he was found."

"But no immortal could have killed him there!" Richie exclaimed emptying the contents of one of the drawers onto the bed to pick out the things he was taking back with him.

"I know," Connor said calmly.

"Then it wasn't an immortal?"

"As you said, no immortal could have killed him there."

"Then…" Richie sat on the bed feeling slightly deflated. "Who? Who would want to kill Darius? Apart from an immortal who wanted his quickening? It doesn't make sense."

"Murder rarely does, Richie," Connor said quietly.

Richie sighed. "How's Mac?"

It had been five hours since Richie had answered the phone to Mac. It was now 7.30 in the morning and Richie was running on pure adrenaline. He hadn't managed to go back to sleep and had waited up till the airport opened to book plane tickets home. Mac had told him about some sort of book he'd found at Darius' church in Paris. There were some numbers written on it and Mac was heading back to Seacouver to try to figure out if it had something to do with Darius' murder.

Richie intended to be there to help Mac if he could.

"He's as you would expect." Connor said. "Looking for answers."

Richie knew what that meant.

"Have you told Frankie you're coming home yet?"

"No," Richie said flopping back onto the bed. "It's a little early for her yet. I'm gonna go round when I've finished packing and tell her."

"And what time is your flight landing?"

"Around 5.30 I think" Richie said sitting up and routing round the bed for the piece of paper he'd scribbled the times down on.

"I'll be waiting for you at the airport," Connor promised.

"Thanks," Richie said. Going home was going to be hard. It was always going to be hard, seeing Mac again, seeing Tessa. Being back home. Leaving Frankie…

But he had to go now. No matter what Mac would be there for him when it really counted, so he had to be there for Mac.

"That was quick," Frankie said looking at the flight ticket.

"I have to go," Richie said watching her closely.

"I know," Frankie nodded still looking at the ticket "It's just… quick."

"Mac'll be going mad, and that'll be driving Tessa mad… I just have to be there. I don't know what use I'll be, but I have to be there."

"Just being there will help," Frankie said finally looking away from the ticket and at him. "Knowing you're there, even if you aren't doing anything will be helping. You need the people that mean the most when you loose someone you love. I take it they were close?"

"Mac and Darius? They were like brothers. Known each other forever." Richie answered.

"It must be hard for him," Frankie said. "The police have no idea who did it?"

"No."

Frankie shook her head. "I just don't get people that would do that."

"You and me both."

Frankie sighed. "You know I'll miss you. I understand that you have to go, I do. I'll just miss you."

Richie pulled her into a hug. "I'll miss you too. But I'll be back and you can come to Seacouver. See all the sights that don't exist and meet all my friends."

Frankie hugged him back. "Just promise me you'll come back to me and I'll believe you."

"I promise you Frankie," Richie said into her hair.

The flight went on forever, or so it seemed. Maybe it was because Richie had so much on his mind and couldn't sleep, leaving him to think for the first few hours about how much he missed Frankie already and as he got nearer to Seacouver he started to think and worry about seeing Mac again.

Richie had no idea what he was going to say to Mac. He wasn't angry anymore, and after Darius it didn't seem to be all that important, but that didn't change the fact that there were certainly issues still unresolved and if Richie wasn't sure how he felt about everything then how was he supposed to explain it?

And Tessa… He loved her, but she was going to be unbearable for the first few days he was back, he just knew it.

The only plus side was that Connor was meeting him at the airport. Maybe he'd be a good buffer…

As the plane landed and he collected his bags Richie really started to worry. It was ridiculous that he was so nervous about seeing them, but he couldn't deny he almost felt physically sick.

He passed through customs and out into the busy arrivals terminal of Seacouver airport. He looked around trying to catch sight of Connor amongst the crowds of faces milling around.

He didn't have to look for long before he saw Connor coming towards him.

"I'll take that," Connor said smiling in greeting and taking his bag from him. "You must be exhausted."

"Just a little," Richie admitted smiling back.

"A little?!" A familiar voice repeated from behind him incredulously.

Richie spun to see Tessa stood there, eyebrow raised.

"You need sleep! It is the middle of the night where you have come from. Come, we must get you home." She said fiercely, then suddenly pulled him into a hug. "We have missed you." She said quietly.

"Me too Tess," Richie said hugging her back and then allowing her to drag him to Connors waiting car.

"I would have told you she was coming," Connor said as he put Richie's bag into the boot and Tessa was getting into the front seat. "But I didn't know till I got to the car and she was already in it."

Richie laughed. "It's ok Connor. I know what she can be like."

Duncan arrived home late. He had had a very interesting and enlightening day. Who'd have thought there were people following Immortals around for a living… And should he really believe Joe Dawson? That they only ever watch and never interfere? Someone had certainly interfered with Darius, and the people Duncan had met in France were not the friendly watching type…

He stopped when he saw the bag by the door. Richie was home…


	16. Resolution

Chapter sixteen

Duncan was still staring at Richie's bag in the hallway when Connor came out of the bathroom.

"You're back then," Connor observed heading to the fridge. "Find out anything useful?"

"Yes. When did Richie get in?" Duncan asked striding into the room.

"About an hour ago," Connor said, glancing at the bag in the hallway. "He's asleep now so you can tell me what you've found out and worry about speaking with him in the morning."

Connor was right of course, he couldn't very well go wake Richie up now and try to talk to him. Besides, he hadn't expected Richie to be back so soon, he had no idea what he wanted to say to him yet.

"Where's Tessa?" he asked instead.

"Buying groceries for Richie."

Of course she was. She'd spoil him for at least two weeks now.

"Are you going to tell me what you've found out?" Connor asked after Duncan let the silence stretch.

Realising there was nothing else to be done for the mean time he filled Connor in on everything he had found out about The Watchers and Joe Dawson and tried to stop himself thinking about seeing Richie in the morning.

Richie wasn't asleep. He had tried, and had probably dozed off for a little while, but despite how tired he was he couldn't get to sleep. He was staring at the little silver miraculous medal Frankie had given him, thinking about how much he missed her already, when he heard Mac come in. Richie heard Connor join him a few minutes later. After a moment of indecision Richie got off the bed and went and stood behind the door. He opened it just a crack so he could hear what they were saying.

Richie listened to Mac speak about watchers, Joe Dawson and some guy called James Horton who was apparently responsible for not only the death of Darius but for countless other immortals too.

Mac sounded tired, and stressed. No doubt the death of Darius had devastated him so he was doing everything he could not to think about it. Richie could only imagine how it must feel to lose someone you had known for as long as Mac and Darius had known each other.

And to lose someone like that… For another human being to intentionally end someone else's life, to take them away from people who love them… It was bad enough when someone died of natural causes, when there was nothing that could be done to stop it. But for someone to inflict that on you without caring how that was going to affect you… Somehow that just seemed worse to Richie

Connor and Mac seemed to be done talking. Connor seemed to be heading out for something, leaving Mac alone.

Richie stood behind the door for another few moments, thinking. Mac had hurt him, sure. And Richie was tired, and Mac was probably too, meaning now probably wasn't the best time for either of them to be trying to sort out any problems they had…

Except…

Maybe if they talked that would be one less thing for him to be worrying about. After everything Mac and Tessa had done for him was that really asking all that much?

Richie watched Mac head towards the kitchen, then heard the clinking of glasses as he got a drink.

_Stop thinking and do something!_

Richie left his room and headed to the kitchen. Mac had his back to him and unless Richie was very much mistaken he had scotch in his hand.

"You know, in England I can legally have some of that."

Mac turned round so quickly Richie was impressed he didn't spill any of his scotch.

"Richie…" Mac looked decidedly caught off guard for a change. Richie almost smiled at the thought.

Mac glanced at his glass before back at Richie. "You aren't in England anymore."

Richie shrugged. "S'ok. Don't really like that stuff anyway. It burns…"

Once he'd tried scotch. Liam had given it him and then laughed when Richie had coughed and spluttered after trying it.

"Try it with lemonade. It won't burn then."

Richie opened his mouth to speak just as Mac added, "When you're 21."

Richie smiled. It was easy to almost forget everything that was hanging between them at that moment. All the things they needed to say to each other, all the problems. Almost.

Neither of them said anything and the silence stretched until Richie became uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry about Darius," Richie said at last. He meant it, but it also filled the now awkward silence.

"Thank you," Mac answered. His eyes flicked away for a moment. Just long enough to show Richie just how much he missed Darius already.

Silence reigned again. Richie shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the floor. He was considering just going back to his room, he felt so tired all of a sudden, when Mac spoke.

"I'm sorry Richie."

Richie swallowed. "For what?" He knew the answer he wanted to hear and wasn't trying to be difficult, but wanted to know what exactly Mac was sorry for. It was important.

"For keeping things from you," Mac said. "For letting you think everything was ok when it wasn't. For making you leave."

"You didn't make me leave, I just left." Richie said. "You never once made me think I couldn't stay here. I just…"

"Needed to be away from me," Mac said when Richie trailed off.

"You gotta understand Mac, I never trusted anyone like I do you and Tessa. Not anyone. You got me believing you cared, that you wanted me here "

"We do," Mac interrupted.

"I know, but you made me promise that I was gonna be straight with you. And I have been. But you weren't. You did stuff behind my back. But that wasn't the worst thing Mac."

Mac put the scotch down. "What was the worst thing?"

Richie breathed in and out a few times before answering. "You didn't trust me."

Mac frowned. "Richie I trust you completely"

"Yeah with cash and antiques and Tessa and probably your life. But you didn't trust _me._ You didn't think I'd trust you. After everything you didn't trust me enough to tell me what was going on. You didn't trust that I'd believe you."

Mac sighed and took a few steps towards Richie. "I'm sorry Richie. I am truly sorry."

"I know. And I know we coulda talked about this weeks ago…" Richie looked away. "But it hurt Mac. It felt like I had no one again. There wasn't anyone I could go to and talk about this with cos there's only ever been you and Tessa and Kate. Kate lied to me and wanted me to steal from you guys, and you both kept things from me. I couldn't talk about how I felt so I had to go."

"I'm sorry I made you feel like that. I'm sorry I drove you away."

He looked it. Richie was used to people apologising when they didn't mean it. Mac meant it.

"You didn't drive me away." Richie said looking Mac in the eye.

"You wouldn't have left if I'd been straight with you."

"I told you it wasn't about you."

"But some of it must have been. You'd have at least old us where you were going otherwise."

Richie shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who understands how my mind works? But I didn't go cos of that stuff. Well, not completely anyway. I had to find out why she was like that and the only way I could find out that was to go and see her family. I didn't tell you where I was cos you know what you're like. No way could you have left this all unresolved for so long. And I needed to do that stuff on my own. I needed to sort my own head out before I tried to sort out anything else."

Mac nodded. "I understand that, I'm just so sorry you felt so alone with it all."

Richie felt a lump rising in his throat. He felt so tired all of a sudden.

"I will do anything to make it up to you Rich. Anything."

Richie believed him. He wondered if the raw emotion he could hear in Mac's voice was all for him or if some of it was for Darius.

"Just promise me that you'll be upfront with me from now on. No more secrets that directly affect me or are about me. No matter how much you think it's for my own good."

For a second Richie thought a shadow crossed Mac's face as if he were trying to decide something.

Must have imagined it, he decided when Mac nodded his head. "OK."

Good. Now bed…

Richie started to turn to head back to his room when he felt Mac's hand on his arm.

"I missed you Richie."

"I missed you too Mac." Richie touched Mac's hand with his. Too soon for a hug… but Richie felt infinitely happier as he got into bed a few minutes later than he had for weeks. Now if only Frankie was there…

…………………………….

Richie was up early. Mac and Tessa didn't seem to be stirring and there was no sign of Connor.

Richie started to make breakfast. He got as far as pouring the cereal before he gave in and picked up the phone. It was pathetic, he knew it, but he wanted to hear Frankie's voice. And she deserved to know things were well on their way to being ok between him and Mac, he reasoned as he dialled her number.

It rang three times before someone picked up.

"Hello?"

She even sounded beautiful on the phone.

"Hey you."

"Richie! Are you ok? Was the flight alright? How did things go with Mac?" Frankie reeled off at top speed.

"I'm fine, flight was long, things went well," Richie mentally ticked off each question in turn.

"What did he say?"

Richie recounted his conversation from the previous night, as well as he could remember anyway. Last night was a bit hazy, he'd been that tired.

"Well at least you got that sorted," Frankie said when he'd finished. "One less thing to be worrying about."

"Yeah. For me and him. I think he's taking his friends death hard but is trying to hide it."

"Sounds about right. He is male after all."

Richie wanted to explain to her that it was more complicated than that. That Mac and Darius had been friends since before her grandparents were born, that he should have been safe in the church, that someone wasn't playing by the rules. But he couldn't. That wasn't his secret to tell. Not even to Frankie.


	17. Surprise

A/N Getting towards the chapters I'm excited about writing now.

I know it's a bit of a short chapter but the next chapter's subject is going to be a completely different one so it felt like the end of this one was quite a natural one

Chapter seventeen

Tessa was acting decidedly strange Richie decided as he dusted around the antique store without enthusiasm. It was a beautiful day outside, and he was inside. There were plenty of customers, but that did not relieve the boredom or restlessness that Richie felt.

A month passed and things had pretty much returned to normal. Richie wasn't entirely certain what happened with Horton and the watchers, all he knew was Horton was presumed dead, though Mac doubted it, and Joe Dawson had already been back round asking for help with something, despite the fact he wasn't supposed to do that apparently.

Richie missed Frankie a lot, despite the numerous phone calls they shared. Speaking over a long distance just was not the same as seeing each other every day. And a month could be a very long time when you didn't know when you were going to be seeing each other.

Tessa had begun to behave completely normally after about two days of fussing once Richie had returned. Yet today she was acting oddly again. Not fussing like she had in the days following his return, but cleaning as if her life depended on it and she kept… smiling.

"Have you won the lottery or something and forgotten to tell us?" Richie asked once the last customer had left for the day.

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked innocently as she cashed up the till.

"I mean you're all… smiley," Richie said, unsure of how to put into words what she was doing that seemed so odd.

"And why can I not be "Smiley" as you put it?" Tessa asked.

"Cos it's not normal!"

"So normally I am miserable? Is that what you are saying?"

"No," Richie said. "I mean usually you aren't this smiley. All day. For prolonged periods. For no reason."

"So maybe there is a reason you do not know about." Tessa said moving away from the till.

"Well yeah, obviously. That's what I'm asking you. The reason behind the smiles and the general cheerfulness."

"But if I tell you that the thing I have planned to surprise you will no longer be a surprise." Tessa said with a wink and headed towards the loft.

"Surprise?" Richie repeated. "What surprise?"

"If I tell you that there will be no surprise and then all my hard work will be for nothing."

"Hard work? The surprise is hard work?" Richie said following closely behind her.

"In a way. Now, no more questions. What would you like for dinner?"

Richie didn't want to let the subject drop, but the tone Tessa used was final. So instead he asked, "Don't you wanna wait for Mac to get back first? In case his meeting runs over?"

"No it's ok, he called to say it was running to time and he'd be back by six thirty." Tessa said opening cupboard doors. "What do you fancy?"

Richie went and stood next to Tessa and stared into the cupboard. They stood there for a long moment before Richie turned to Tessa.

"Is Mac in on this surprise?"

"Maybe," Tessa admitted not looking away from the cupboard.

Richie was racking his brains trying to think what it could be Tessa had planned.

"How about pasta?" Tessa suggested, changing the subject.

"Yeah that'd be great." Richie said.

"Good. Why don't you go and shower. You're all dusty from the store." Tessa suggested as she took things from the cupboard.

Feeling very suspicious Richie headed to the bathroom.

…………………….

Richie emerged not long after feeling refreshed but still suspicious. Tessa was still pottering around the kitchen but now she was also humming to herself.

Shaking his head Richie decided to watch TV while he waited for Mac and dinner and whatever surprise it was Tessa had planned. He supposed it must have shown how much he had missed Frankie if Tessa had felt the need to arrange something that was bound to be intended to cheer him up.

Richie flipped he channels aimlessly until he heard the door open and Mac come in.

"Dinner smells nice," Richie heard Mac say. "We're starving."

"Good, I made lots," he heard Tessa respond. Even without looking Richie could hear the smile in her voice. "There's about another fifteen minutes till dinner."

"Good that gives us a bit of time to get sorted." Mac said, then shouted to Richie," Can you come and give us a hand Rich?"

So now he had to work for his surprise? "Sure," Richie answered getting up and switching off the TV. "What do you need help wi…"

Richie stopped and stared.

"She'll need you to make some room for her." Tessa said, the smile on her face so big now it practically touched her ears.

Frankie. Here. Now.

Richie, for once, was momentarily lost for words. He also appeared to be paralysed as he wasn't moving.

Frankie smiled a tired smile at him and thankfully she did the walking. "I am so tired," she said as she hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad you're here." Richie said hugging her back.

…………………….

Frankie was to sleep in Richie's room and he was going to have the sofa for the time being. As it was the beginning of the summer and Frankie had no plans to go to university this year she didn't know when she was going home. Tessa and her mum had apparently arranged the whole thing as a surprise for both of them. The first Frankie had known about her trip was that morning when her mum had woken her early and told her to pack.

"It's so good to see you," Frankie said as she climbed tiredly into Richie's bed almost immediately after dinner.

"I can't believe you're here." Richie said smiling down at her.

"You don't mind me stealing your bed then?" Frankie asked with a grin.

Richie smiled back. "If it means you'll be staying a while then you can steal anything I own."

"You don't want to say that," Frankie said. "Just in case I take you up on it," she yawned and snuggled further under the covers.

Richie stroked her hair and smiled down at her. "I love you Frankie Hunt," he whispered, thinking she was asleep.

"I love you more, Richie Ryan," she said without opening her eyes or moving.

………………………..


	18. Three weeks in the life

A/N I've been away for a while – nearly 4 years – yet this story has actually been in my thoughts. I know how it ends. I know nearly how I get to the end. I just have to put it on paper now. Whether anyone is still reading remains to be seen, but I am going to finish it for me now, finally.

Chapter eighteen.

That first week back together was glorious. The sun was shining most days – a small miracle in itself - Mac and Tessa almost insisted that Richie not work in the store, and most importantly, Frankie was there, in the flesh, large as life.

Despite Richie's protests that there was little to nothing to see in Seacouver Frankie had insisted on a guided tour of everywhere anyway.

"As if Birmingham is the hub of culture and excitement in England," she said in response to his repeated insistence there was nothing to see. "And I still showed you round the whole city."

"Yeah but you love where you grew up," Richie said not willing to give in too quickly. The area's he grew up in weren't always as nice as the area's around the antique store.

Frankie shrugged. "And where you grew up made you who you are, therefore I want to see it."

"Mac and Tessa made me who I am." Richie insisted quietly.

Now Frankie frowned at him. "I think you'll find they finished you off nicely, that's all. Like one of Tessa's sculptures. All the bits were there, they just needed some help getting organised into the wonderful creation that is Richie Ryan. Now quit stalling and show the city!"

And how could he argue with that? Never had anyone made him feel so worthwhile and been so happy with him being exactly who he was. Mac and Tessa meant the world to him of course, and he believed that they cared for him no matter what – they'd proved that more than once - but Frankie wasn't a saviour for him like Mac and Tessa were. And it was different anyway, being loved by someone they way she loved him. Believing that he was loved that way… Richie had never thought he could find someone he could have that with.

"Fine, I will show you round the city, but when you're bored to tears remember it was your idea."

…

It was the fourth night Richie saw Frankie eyeing the window in his room with interest.

"You have windows in England too you know?" He said coming up behind.

She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a withering look. "I am aware." She turned back to the window, I also have stairs up to the roof, which you do not have."

"You're thinking of climbing onto the roof?" Richie asked.

"Well I was. But it's a pretty steep drop and I like all my limbs in one piece generally."

"As do I. besides, we do have roof access, just not from my room."

Frankie spun round, a look of pure excitement on her face. "Really?"

Richie laughed. "Yeah really. You wanna see?"

"Yes! I miss the city lights. But the view from this roof should be spectacular…"

Richie was pleased not to disappoint. When they reached the roof access Frankie's eyes literally lit up. "Stunning," she breathed.

"Stunning," Richie agreed looking into Frankie's face. She glanced at him then ducked her face away.

"You're making me blush," she said giggling.

Richie smiled and let her lead him to the edge of the roof where she pulled him down next to her. They sat in happy silence leaning into each other until Tessa called them for dinner.

…..

It was at the start of the second week when Richie started working in the store again that Kate came. Frankie was out shopping with Tessa, something both women had seemed equally excited about. Mac had gone out to see Dawson again, exactly like he wasn't supposed to. Obviously the rules weren't that strict.

Richie was whistling to himself, polishing a display cabinet when he heard the door jingle. He turned to greet the customer and was faced with Kate.

She tried a tentative smile. "Hey."

Richie sighed and turned away from her, replacing his cleaning the polish behind the counter. For some reason he wanted something between the two of them.

"What do you want Kate? I think we said everything we have to say to each other last time. Don't you?"

The smile vanished. "I heard you left."

"I did. I'm back." State the obvious.

"Where did you go?" Kate asked.

Richie shook his head. "I'm not doing this with you Kate. We said everything we had to say to each other last time. I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

"I just… I just wanted to see you were ok."

"I'm ok. Better than that, I'm great. You can go now."

"Just like that? You're happy to just throw away our friendship – "

"We don't have a friendship Kate." Richie cut her off. "We never did. I was your scapegoat so you could pull one over on your mom and then I was supposed to be your meal ticket when I stole from my family. At no point was I anything even remotely resembling a friend to you."

"That's just not true!"

"So why are you here really? I was gone for weeks and I've been back over a month. If you so badly wanted to salvage our friendship what's taken you so long?" Richie demanded.

"I have stuff going on too," Kate said defensively.

"And is this _stuff _the real reason you're here?"

"No," Kate said sounding irritated. "I wanted to apologise to you."

"For?"

"Asking you to do what I did. It was stupid and unfair and I should have known better." Kate stared at the floor the whole time she spoke.

Richie paused before he spoke, weighed his words carefully. "Thank you. I appreciate that." A beat. "But I think I'd like you to leave now."

Kate looked surprised. "Richie… I apologised!"

"I know, but what exactly do you think that changes? You want us to be friends?"

"Yes! Why else would I be here?"

"A good question. You want to be my friend Kate you need to accept that you can't just walk in and out my life whenever you want to. And you need to realise that there are consequences to acting the way you have. I'm not just gonna forget that you wanted me to rip off my family or that you obviously still do that sort of thing. I've worked hard to get where I am, to have people I care about. I won't jeopardise that for you. So if you want to be my friend you need to sort yourself out first. Otherwise I'm just not interested."

If looks could kill…

"I lay my heart out for you and this is your response?" Kate sounded severely peeved.

"One apology is hardly laying out your heart." Richie replied.

"You won't even meet me halfway?"

Richie shook his head.

"Nice. Really nice. Forget it. I never should have come here."

Richie waited for her to storm out but she stayed where she was, glaring at him.

"I have no idea what you want me to say to that. I'm done Kate. Done. You're my past."

"And my cousin's your future? You think I don't know she's here?" Kate spat.

"I don't care if you know she's here." Richie said his voice beginning to rise. Somehow he wasn't surprised Kate knew Frankie was here.

"You think she's better for you than me? Miss goody two shoes? She wouldn't want to know you if she knew what you'd done."

"I know she's better for me than you! And she knows me Kate. Better than you ever did. I don't have secrets from Frankie. I trust her. I can never say that about you. I doubt anyone could say that about you. Now leave Kate. We have nothing left to say."

"I have plenty –"

"No. You don't." Mac's cold voice cut Kate off. He was standing in the store door. Richie hadn't even heard it open. For a second her wondered if they'd scared off any customers.

Kate faltered as she looked at Mac in full on scary mode. "I believe Richie asked you to leave. I'm not asking. Leave."

A pause as Kate glanced back at Richie. He's never seen her look so angry… But then she turned and left without a backward glance.

Richie let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Mac shut the door behind Kate then flipped the closed sign over.

"Sorry… customers…" Richie mumbled.

"Don't be." Mac shook his head. "If someone really wants to buy something a bit of shouting won't put them off for long."

"I guess. Are we closing?"

"Lunch time I think. I believe I'm going to need my strength to help the girls in with all their bags when they get back."

Richie chuckled, a small release of the tension he still felt. "Probably."

"Come on then."

…..

"Bitch," Frankie was pacing in front of the tv, hands on hips. "As if she knows anything about me! Anything at all! Or about us. Even when she was at home we had nothing to do with each other so how can she have the gall to tell you what I'll do about anything, least at all when it comes to you cos she has no idea about you and me at all, I think she's proved that and she definitely knows zero about me cos we don't even talk and seriously –"

"Frankie I can't keep up with you if you don't breath," Richie interrupted her tirade.

"I'm breathing, see," she sucked in a lungful of air, "Breathing."

"Ok, that's a start, now take a few more and calm down."

Frankie did stop pacing long enough to glare at him. "Do you know what the absolute worst thing is to say to someone you want to calm down?"

"I'm thinking what I just said?"

"Bingo." Despite this Frankie did take some deep breaths and eventually dropped next to him on the sofa.

"Better?" Richie asked.

"Not even close. As stupid as it sounds I hate that she was even near you."

"Well she's gone now. And I don't think she'll be back." Richie said pulling her closer.

"She better not."

…..

Frankie had been in Seacouver for three weeks when everything changed. Richie had known eventually something like this could happen, yet he still wasn't prepared for it to happen. He was in Tessa's workshop with her when they heard the first crashes of sword on sword. A moment of fear passed between their eyes, before Richie had the panic of not knowing where Frankie was. He reacted before he thought and ran for the loft. Mac saw him. A moments distraction was all it took for the other immortal to get though Mac's defences. A mortal man would have died from the wound. And Mac did die, briefly. Thankfully the appearance of Richie and then Tessa distracted the other immortal enough for him to swear to return before swiftly retreating.

And then Mac had breathed, suddenly and violently. Sucking in a sharp lungful of air. He had sat up just as suddenly. Tessa was reassuring Mac the two of them were ok when Richie had glanced towards the stairs… where Frankie sat staring, ice blue eyes wide, confirming she had seen it all…


	19. Immortality and morality

A/N Heavily Frankie centric – does anyone else think immortality as a concept is easily accepted by pretty much everyone in this universe…

Chapter sixteen

Of course it was completely impossible. Completely. Impossible. Yeah…

The shock was enough to make Frankie sit on the stairs and stare… She was no doctor, and completely irrelevantly for a few seconds she had a vivid discussion with herself about how she valued nursing more as you spent more time with patients and being a doctor meant long hours and limited patient contact and therefore by her standards, less rewards…

So irrelevant it was untrue as the man she had _seen,_ seen killed with her own two working eyes killed quite convincingly with a sharp ass sword, sit up and breathe… I mean who breathes after being horrendously impaled with said sharp ass sword? Hell, who carries swords anymore?

Sitting was most definitely the best for her right now. Standing may well have involved falling…

Richie… There he was right now looking at her, a terrified look on his face. He wasn't remotely fazed by the breathing dead man though. No. He was staring at her as if he was worried about her. Which was completely stupid. She hadn't just died and then come back to life…

Shit…

"Frankie…"

Frankie's ice blue eyes met Richie's baby blue for a moment. He looked worried. She was… How was she? If feelings still existed in her new world she imagined she would be terrified by recent events.

As it was…

Frankie stood up, hand flat on the wall for support, eyes still locked on Richie's. They were the only things that were the same. The only safety… But…

She ran. Turned and ran away as quickly as she could. It was a flawed plan - she was running to Richie's room… which was in zombie mans home…

Again shit.

She slammed Richie's door shut. Then moved the drawers quickly into the doorway. She worried briefly that she should have watched more dawn of the dead with Shaun… But she was English… Doomed to die due to lack of firearms if there was a zombie apocalypse…

"Frankie? Please let me in…" Richie…

He didn't sound worried that was stuck out there with the zombies. Was that good or bad? He couldn't be a zombie himself or he wouldn't be able to speak… Right?

"Frankie… please let me explain. Please…talk to me."

The tears appeared from nowhere, or perhaps she'd been crying for a while and not noticed.

She dropped her head to between her knees feeling sick. Eventually she'd have to open the door. But maybe not just yet…

Eventually came too soon. After a few minutes Frankie had a definite urge to throw up. Even ignoring that the dead man was no longer dead, she had still seen a man killed in cold blood. He had just impossibly woken up from being dead… No big deal.

Right.

After the briefest of pauses Frankie shoved the drawers out of the way, yanked the door open, shoved a surprised Richie out the way and ran to the bathroom, where she violently threw up.

She heard Riche behind, felt his hand on her shoulder as she straightened up and went to the sink.

"Frankie?"

She ignored him. Brushed her teeth vigorously and then splashed water on her face. She still felt sick. Glancing in the mirror she saw only Richie in the room with her. And the door was shut. Not barricaded though so obviously this was not a case of hiding from zombies.

"What the hell just happened?" Frankie finally spoke, her voice sounded too quiet.

"It's a long story," Richie looked relieved that she was talking at last.

Frankie shook her head. "No it's not. It's really not. It's as short as you wanna make it. Your friend was dead, I saw him die, convincingly. And now he's not dead. I have acknowledged all of that. So all I need you to do is tell me how the hell any of that is at all possible."

Richie sighed. "Can we at least go somewhere other than the bathroom to talk about it."

Frankie was tempted to say no, but it did smell of vomit still a little bit, so "Fine. Ok. Yeah." Pause. "Is he out there?"

"You don't have to be scared of Mac. He wouldn't hurt you."

"Big ass pointy sword from nowhere. Attempting to impale man with similar big ass pointy sword from nowhere also. Stabbed with sword, dies, is dead, is awake again." Frankie repeated her version of the story. "Why would I not be scared of him?"

"I promise he won't hurt you." Richie said ignoring everything else she'd said. "Come on. "Let me explain it to you."

Frankie let herself be lead out of the bathroom.

"Are you ok?" Tessa sounded worried.

Frankie glanced up. Saw Mac next to her. He still had blood on his shirt. Her eyes found the blood and she couldn't tear them away. So much blood. Tessa noticed the line of her sight.

"Duncan," Tessa whispered nodding at his shirt.

Frankie finally looked away and let Richie pull her towards his room.

"Gimme a few minutes guys," he said.

He shut the door behind him and Frankie sat down on the bed, let out a breath she'd been holding.

"So. Go for it." She encouraged.

Richie sat down next to her and wrapped an arm round her shoulders. "Mac isn't like most people you know," he started.

"I had figured that much out on my own. Please cut the introduction and just get to the point."

"Ok," Richie took a deep breath. "Mac is Immortal. He can't die. Unless you cut off his head."

A long pause. "Why would anyone want to cut off his head?"

"Other Immortals would so they can get his Quickening. Basically it's his power," Richie clarified when Frankie looked at him blankly.  
"And they don't have enough power of their own?"

"Every head they take gives them more power so they have a chance of winning."

"Wining?"

"Well you see there's sort of this Game… You know this would have been easier if you'd let me do the introduction bit…"

Frankie ignored the second part and focused on the first. "Game?"

"Yeah, that's what they call it. The Immortals. But it's not really a game, it's their life, how they live, what they do. In the end there will only be one left, and they will have the power to rule the planet. So we kinda want a good guy in that role."

"So they just go around killing each other with swords until all but one are dead?"

"Er, in a nutshell yes. They have rules though, like no one can interfere, you can't fight on holy ground, that sort of thing."

"And they follow the rules?"

"Mostly."

"So if they don't follow the rules what happens?"

"Well, nothing really if they cheat. Holy ground though, I don't know. Never heard of anyone breaking that rule. It's the only refuge they have."

"So they follow the rules on a kind of honour system. They know they shouldn't break them so they don't?"

"Yeah pretty much."

Frankie sat silently for a few minutes taking it all in. "How long have you known?"

"Since before I moved in here. I saw Mac…" He trailed off. He didn't need to say anymore, she could fill in the blanks.

"That… God Richie." There were no words to express her feelings at that moment.

"It's a lot to take in I know."

"How old…"

"Is Mac? 400."

She felt sick again. "That's so… Unnatural."

She felt Richie stiffen next to her. "Frankie –"

"No it is," she said getting off the bed. "No man is meant to live forever! That's not how it works. We all die, all of us, and when we do we're supposed to stay dead. Not wake up a few minutes later all ok again. And how do you trust any of them? If they all have to kill each other Mac's gonna have to one day kill his best friend or something because of a _Game? _I mean has anyone ever questioned the validity of that as a life?"

She was getting loud. Richie was stood in front of her now looking pained.

"It's not like they have a choice," he tried to reason.

"Of course they do! Everyone has a choice about how to live their life. No one can make you chop off someone else's head. I mean where do these rules come from? Who made them up? Who passes it on? What would happen if there was two left and both refused to kill the other? Would the world end? Seriously, there is always a choice."

"Give her some time, it's a lot to take in," Duncan suggested softly as Richie nursed the coffee in front of him.

Richie shook his head. "You didn't see her face. She meant everything she said. She can't even accept you're Immortal, how is she gonna accept the rest of it?"

"It's only been an hour. And you just told her some pretty life shattering stuff Richie. Give her a break. Let her think about it for a bit and don't try and rush her into accepting it. Not everyone is as open to it as you were."

Richie sighed. "I guess. Who was that guy anyway?" he asked, realising he had no idea who the other Immortal was.

"An old problem." Duncan said, as if that was a proper answer.

"Like, how old?"

"Very. Don't worry about it Richie, he's not a very good swordsman."

"He killed you."

"Not permanently and only because I let myself get distracted."

"What if you get distracted again?"

"Are you worried about me?" Duncan asked smiling.

"No. Yeah. I don't know," Richie admitted.

"Don't. If I was worried I'd have found him by now."

"Well that's reassuring." Richie pushed his coffee away; it was nearly cold anyway now. "I'm going to check on her."

"Richie she wanted time…" Duncan called after him.

"Like you ever let me get away with that," Richie called back. An hour _was_ time…

He knocked on the door, opened it when no one answered, and surveyed his empty room.

Damn.

Frankie had sat on the bed for five minutes after she asked Richie to leave before deciding she needed to get out. She had every intention of letting Richie know she needed air, but when she'd come out of the room he'd been talking to Duncan, who had thankfully changed his shirt now. They were deep in conversation, Richie looking upset. It was easier she decided just to slip out unnoticed. She'd probably be back before anyone noticed she was gone anyway.

She walked aimlessly for half an hour trying not to think about anything and failing miserably. Everyone she saw she found herself wondering if they were immortal too. Did they have a sword stashed somewhere on them just waiting to meet another? There was so much she still didn't know. How did they recognise each other? What did they do with the bodies afterwards? Where did they come from? When did they stop aging? Did they have some choice in that? Mac looked in his 30's; the other had looked mid 40's.

She realised she had wandered into a part of the town Richie had told her not to go to alone – his old neighbourhood. Frankie sighed and started to turn to head back the way she'd come from when she saw ST Catherine's church across the road. After a moments hesitation she jogged across the road and tried the door. Morning mass was just finishing so she slipped onto the edge of a pew and waited until the Priest dismissed the congregation. Frankie walked down the aisle to the votive candles and statue of the Virgin mother. She dropped a few coins into the box and lit a candle. She watched the fire dance for a few minutes before kneeling in front of the statue.

She prayed for guidance. For the knowledge to know what to do, for what was right. It was brand new territory for her. Logically she thought cutting of another person's head was wrong. It tended to go against the 'thou shalt not kill' commandment. But then had they been written with immortals in mind? Could mortal and immortal morals be different when it came to killing? But what if they were here to fight it out to be worthy or something to win their Game?

When Frankie finally stood up and turned to leave her candle had burnt out and the Priest was watching her, a kindly smile on his face. Frankie realised she was the only one left.

"Sorry, I guess I lost track of time," she shrugged.

The priest smiled warmly at her. "Never apologise for lengthy prayer," he said. "Is there anything I can help you with? You seem to be a long way from home."

"Somewhat," she agreed, accepting his invitation to sit next to him on the front pew. "I'm visiting friends." She explained. "And things just got a bit complicated."

"An argument?" he inquired.

"I wish," Frankie said and laughed humourlessly. "I'd know what to do then."

"But it is something to do with them that has you here?"

She nodded. "I found out some things about one of them that… I don't know how to say it." She ran a hand through her hair. "See, I love Richie, completely head over heels love him. I wouldn't change a thing about him and I don't care about any of the bad stuff cos that's all in the past."

The priest waited for her to carry on and when she didn't he prompted her. "So it's not Richie that has you in turmoil?"

Frankie shook her head. "No it's his friend."

"Has he done something?"

"It's really hard to explain. You see it's like he's from a different culture, and the way he does some things are really really alien to me and some of it seems wrong to me. But it's like tradition for him or something. And I don't know if it's something I can accept, even though to me it seems wrong."

The priest patted her hand. "It is hard for us sometimes to accept differences in people when we have our guidelines literally set in stone," he acknowledged. "I can see your reluctance to go into too much detail. Remember this is just between the two of us, we may not be in the confessional, but my discretion in this will be the same."

Frankie smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it. And it's not that I don't want to tell you. I just don't have the words yet."

"Ok. Why don't you tell what you're worried about then? Is this man dangerous? Are you safe with him?"

Frankie thought for a long moment before answering. "I feel safe with him. And everything I know about him tells me he is a good man. I mean he took Richie in after he tried to rob him and gave him a home and helped him more than anyone else ever has. And he bought me over to see Richie cos he was all mopey after he had to leave me. And a lot of the time the quality of the people around someone is a good indication of whether they are a good person, right?"

"Sometimes," he agreed.

"Well he has amazing people around him."

"Yet there is something that worries you?"

Frankie nodded. Part of her wanted to blurt it out to this man. To tell him all her worries in explicit detail. But he would definitely think she was crazy at best.

"Have you ever thought what it would be like Father, to live forever? Not in the sense of life after death, but to just never die?"

"I haven't," he said. "It's the natural order. We die and our bodies return to the ground we came from. Unless of course you're Enoch."

"Enoch?" Frankie searched her mind for memories from Sunday school. "He didn't die did he? He was taken to heaven alive."

Immortality in the Bible…

The priest smiled. "Indeed. As was Elijah, because they pleased God."

"What do you think it would be like though to live forever, here on Earth?"

"I imagine it would be a very lonely thing."

"Yeah I guess it would. Because we all die eventually. You'd be alone a lot."

The priest frowned at Frankie. "Does this man think he can do something to live forever?"

"Do something? No, no," she was worrying the priest now. "He's not into anything like that. I was just thinking out loud."

"It seems to me that you're confused about something but are reluctant to go into details. You find something about this man that you struggle to accept? But you yourself say he is a good man. I think you need to decide which matters more to you. The bits you don't like, or the bits you do. His choices may seem wrong to you and maybe to me, but if they are valid to him should we judge that as wrong or try to gently show the way. Don't do anything that you think compromises yourself or your faith, but see if there is a middle ground. And keep praying. He has all the answers that I don't have."

Frankie smiled. "Thank you. You've been very helpful."

"I wish I could help more," he said standing with Frankie and walking towards the door. "You know where I am if you ever want to talk some more."

Frankie nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Frankie stepped into the day's midday sun and headed home.


	20. Bang

Chapter twenty

"I can't believe you just left without talking to me first!"

Richie was angry. Frankie had returned home to find him pacing and Mac trying to calm him down.

"I was –"

"What?" Richie cut her off? "You were what?"

"I needed –"

"Needed?" He cut her off again.

She took a deep breath and tried again. "Richie, I just wanted some space to –"

"Space to what?" he demanded

"Ok, you're starting to piss me off," Frankie finally managed to finish a sentence. "How bout we try you asking me a question and we let me actually answer it?"

He looked about ready to explode and Frankie couldn't blame him. She had been gone two hours and he was right when he'd said mid rant that she didn't know the city and could easily have been lost, or worse.

But… He was her boyfriend not her mother, and she had just found out some life altering tings, so she felt she deserved some slack.

However, after she said just that to Richie she decided maybe that was insensitive…

"Yeah, god forbid I worry about you!" Richie began pacing again.

Mac and Tessa appeared to have both made themselves scarce once Frankie had arrived home. If the shouting was likely to continue Frankie didn't blame them.

"I didn't mean… Look I'm sorry ok? I wasn't thinking about how much you'd worry about me. In fact I just wasn't thinking at all. I'm sorry I worried you."

That deflated Richie somewhat, though he still looked angry. "You thinking now?"

She tried a small smile out on him. He didn't return it, but she saw some of the tension leave his stance.

"I'm thinking I'm sorry. But I can't keep saying that."

Richie dropped onto the sofa next to her. "It's ok." He said softly. "I'm sorry for the shouting. I guess I was just worried and there are some parts of this city I just don't want you in. You're too important to me."

Frankie lent her head on his shoulder. "I know. I love you too. I had to think though."

"What did you decide?"

"I decided I don't know a lot. I know that chopping heads off is a bad thing, but I can't think that Mac is bad. So maybe this isn't as black and white as I'd like it to be."

"You aren't scared of Mac?"

Frankie breathed out. "I'd be lying of I said no… But I'm not like, terrified of him. I'd say more… wary… That was a big sword you know?"

Richie allowed her a smile. "Yeah I know. So you're not gonna go running off on your own again?"

"Not tonight, it's raining," Frankie said seriously. "Rain makes my hair fluffy."

Richie wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You're really ok with it?" he pressed.

Frankie didn't answer straight away. "I am not as freaked out as I was. I have a lot of questions still. And I still can't quite get my head round living forever, or the kind of life it must be, to constantly have to look over your shoulder. And I'm not saying that I think it's ever ok to lop of someone's head – "

"Frankie," Richie interrupted her. "Please tell me there's a positive coming up soon."

"You're big on interrupting me tonight aren't you?" She said peevishly. "And yes there's a positive if you let me get to it. Some of us like to order our thoughts and not just blurt stuff out."

"You're always blurting stuff out." Richie said.

"Yeah, well it's a bad habit I should get out of."

"So the positive?" Richie prompted.

"The positive, is that I don't understand any of it, but it's not my life, not my decision. And maybe one day, eventually, I'll understand it and maybe I won't. But the important thing for now is it's you I'm in love with. And you aren't running round with swords. Right?"

"Definitely right. Mac doesn't even like me looking at swords, let alone touching them." Richie said.

Frankie pulled back a bit to look Richie in the eye. She studied his face with a small frown on her face.

"Would you want to?"  
"Want to?"

Frankie nodded. "Something about the way you said that then. Like you'd like to be like him maybe?"

Richie shifted on the sofa to a more comfortable position. "I guess I have thought about it. It's kinda hard not to living here. And I guess it does sound kinda cool, you know, living forever, never getting old…"

"Watching everyone you love grow old and die." Frankie interjected. "Having people constantly try to kill you. Having to lie nearly every day of your life – which is forever - sometimes to people you care about."

"I guess when you put it like that it doesn't sound that great. But imagine it Frankie, imagine being alive so long you literally see the world change around you. Imagine having the time to do everything you want to do, go to all the places you ever wanted to go to." Richie argued.

Frankie shrugged. "We see the world change everyday. In just my 18 years I've seen the Berlin Wall come down, seen the first woman go into space, seen the USSR become the past… You just have to look and see what's going on around you. And the average person lives seventy years ish. I think we could see a lot of the world in that time."

"Unless we die tomorrow." Richie said.

Frankie shrugged, "They could too. Big swords remember."

"Immortality really doesn't appeal to you in the slightest?"

Frankie shook her head. "I wouldn't want to. It's not what's meant to happen. And I don't think I could deal with the constant danger, and losing everyone. Over and over… You think you could?"

It was Richie's turn to shrug. "Up until recently I didn't really have anyone to lose."  
"Well you do now. Except I'm never going anywhere. And I think you're stuck with Mac and Tessa too."

Richie smiled. "I guess. And I don't even wanna think about being where you aren't."

"You never have to be." Frankie pulled the miraculous medal from under his t-shirt and held it for a moment before tucking it back in. "I wouldn't have given that to you unless I was sure about you. I'd stay here for you forever you know?"

"You don't wanna go home?"

"Eventually I need to." She admitted. "Really I need to start doing some of those things that mean I can actually live, you know university, job and stuff. I can't just indefinitely be on holiday, but my home is wherever you are. So if you couldn't come back with me for three years then I'd commute or something."

Richie laughed. "Commute to the UK from Seacouver?"

"What?" She demanded indignantly. "They do give you time of during training. And a few weeks apart wouldn't be the end of the world, not if we're going to then spend our forever together. I just can't imagine the point of anything if I wasn't going to end up right back here with you. Well," she glanced round the loft. "Maybe not right back here. I imagine we'd have our own place."

Richie had a strange look on his face as he asked, "You think about those sort of things?"  
"The future? Of course. How else am I gonna cram in an immortal life's worth of experiences into one mortal life? What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He looked… shocked.

"I just never thought…" Richie paused. "I never had a future to think about before. Before Mac and Tessa… And then I suppose I never thought about life after them, because there wasn't anyone or anywhere else to go. That I wanted to go to anyway. And now you… It's only been a few months… but…"

Frankie crushed him into a hug. "We have everything to look forward to," she didn't loosen her grip and felt Richie return the hold. "Everything."

!

Richie cleared the table while Frankie flipped through the TV channels. Mac and Tessa had gone out for the night to allow him some time with Frankie. Richie appreciated the thought, it had allowed him and Frankie to talk and make plans for when she had to go home and 'carry on with life' as she'd put it.

He was about to begin the washing up when he heard the knock at the door. Frankie glanced at the clock. "Who'd be here at this time?"

They'd had a late dinner, it was nearly 9.30pm. Richie shrugged. "You'd be surprised the times we get visitors round here."

Frankie's eyebrows shot up as she asked, "When you say visitors…"

"They don't usually knock," Richie said interpreting her question correctly. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

Possibly the last person he expected to see was waiting behind the door.

"Kate? Are you serious? We had this conversation already. Twice." Richie started to close the door.

"No wait, Richie listen to me, I need your help," She sounded desperate. Richie paused. "I need some money –"

"No way Kate," he continued pushing the door. "Go away."

"I told you it was pointless," Richie heard a man's voice mutter from behind Kate.

"Wait!" Richie had no idea if Kate was shouting that at him or at the man she was with, and a moment later he didn't care as he felt the white hot pain in his chest.

He had a gun.

!

Frankie heard her cousin. Heard Richie tell her to go away. She was walking towards the door to tell Kate the same. She heard the man. Heard the crack of the gun. Twice. Heard Katie scream. Heard her own breath as she ran to Richie. Heard the thud as Richie fell. Heard the screams coming from Kate. Heard Kate being dragged away.

And then she saw…

"Oh god, oh god, oh god." She dropped to her knees next to Richie. So much blood…

He wasn't moving, his eyes closed and his chest seemed to barely rise and fall. She felt for a pulse and thanked god there was one there. Barely.

"Please god no," She pressed on the wounds. Pressure, you were supposed to put pressure on wounds like this… Stop the bleeding, gotta stop the bleeding.

His face was so pale already…

An ambulance, she needed an ambulance. Hating to leave him for even a second she ran to the phone, dimly noting she was covered in blood. She tried to remember how much a person could lose before going into irreversible shock... and couldn't. She left a smear of blood on the wall she used to hold herself up as she jabbed at the phone.

An eternity passed before someone finally answered the phone.

"I need an ambulance. Someone's been shot. He's breathing and has a pulse but it's weak. I'm trying to stop the bleeding but there's so much…"

The operator tried to ask her questions but she ignored telling them the address and dropping the phone, still connected to the operator and running back to Richie.

He looked worse. There was a pool of blood around him that was slowly spreading.

"Don't leave me Richie please, please stay with me," her heart felt like it was being ripped out and with every beat of Richie's heart that pumped more and more of his blood onto the floor she could feel her own heart dying.

The ambulance seemed to take an eternity to arrive. She put as much pressure as she could on the wounds, unable to do anything else for him, watching his chest rise and fall devastatingly slowly.

When the paramedics arrived she was moved aside, taken away by the police officer that arrived with them. He had paused over Richie and sworn to himself before approaching Frankie and moving her away.

"Where's the shooter, did you see him?" he demanded, obviously trying to be sympathetic, but his agenda was the shooter. Making sure no one else was in danger.

"Didn't see him. Heard him. He ran." Frankie managed to say.

God breathing was hard. So hard just to suck some oxygen into her lungs. Something she'd taken for granted before. The ability to breathe without it hurting like this.

Richie had an oxygen mask on now, and one paramedic was trying to stem the bleeding while another was struggling to insert a cannula.  
"It's no good, he's shutting down, I don't have access," the paramedic swore.

"Let me try," a third paramedic was looking at Richie's hands, the crook of his arms, he yanked off Richie's shoes and socks and started prodding his feet.

The police man was still trying to talk to her, asking if she had any idea who had done it, what she had seen exactly. Frankie recounted what she had heard. Told him as much as she knew, never taking her eyes off Richie. He was all that really mattered now…

"Tourniquet," the paramedic was inserting the needle into Richie's left foot. "Got it," he said triumphantly fixing the cannula in place and grabbing a bag of fluid. He had it attached in moments and began to squeeze the bag, pushing fluid into Richie.

"Let's move."

Frankie watched them load Richie into the back of the ambulance she took a step towards it but the police mane restrained her gently.  
"Follow with me kid, let them do their job." He was right of course. "Anyone I can call for you?"

Frankie watched the ambulance pull away before nodding. "Mac, Tessa…" her voice failed her. There was a lump in her throat that stopped her talking.

"You have a number?" his voice was gentle as he tried to coax her into speaking.

She shook her head. "They were going to Gino's… Please can we go… I need to be with him." Frankie couldn't stand and wait a second longer. If he hadn't agreed she would have got there another way even covered in blood. Covered…

The officer looked at her clothes, her hands and looked as though for a moment he was going to say something else, until he looked at her face. She didn't know what he saw there, but he nodded. "I'll get an officer to collect your friends," he said as he ushered her to the car. "We'll get there right behind them," he promised.

All the while they drove Frankie had a mantra going through her mind, over and over again. 'Live Richie, please live.'

!

Richie had apparently gone straight into theatre. A nurse had greeted her at the doors of the ambulance bay and led her to a relative's room to wait. The police officer had stayed with her, every now and then talking into his crackling radio. The nurse had left some surgical scrubs on a chair next to Frankie, had offered to let Frankie take a shower. Looking down at her blood encrusted clothes Frankie knew she must look like she'd been shot too. She didn't care. And she wasn't going to leave the room she was in in case there was news. So the scrubs lay forgotten next to her while she sat elbows on knees and face in her hands. Waiting.

Fifteen minutes passed before the door opened and Mac and Tessa arrived. That was when she knew just how much of a state she must look. Tessa's face said it all. She had obviously been holding it together until that moment, but one look at Frankie and she dissolved into tears.

"Frankie." And Tessa was holding her as she started to cry all over again.

"Powell," She heard Mac acknowledge. "What happened?" His voice sounded controlled. Angry too maybe. With an undertone of… desperation.

Frankie continued to cry as she heard Powell telling Mac the little he knew. Mac didn't interrupt once. When Powell had finished Mac knelt next to her.  
"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" he asked gently.

Frankie shook her head, answering both questions at the same time.

"Richie will be ok. He's a fighter."

Oh god how she wanted to believe that. The mere thought of losing him was too much to bear. If he didn't make it…


	21. Too Young

Chapter twenty one. 

Duncan waited a solid five minutes before searching out a doctor. Once he had convinced himself Frankie was indeed unhurt and had got all the information out of Powell that he could he had squeezed Tessa's shoulder and promised to get an update. The ER was busy as they usually were at night, but not so busy that he didn't manage to find a nurse sitting at the nurse station writing.

"Excuse me nurse," he began.

She looked up from her writing, noted the blood on his shirt. Duncan noticed it himself for the first time. He really needed to get Frankie cleaned up…

"You come in with those kids?" she asked setting down her pen.

Duncan found her use of the word 'kids' ironic considering she only looked about twenty five herself.

"Yes," he said. "is there any news on Richie?"

She shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry sir, he's only been in surgery half an hour. It's jus too soon yet."

"Can you find out how it's going? What his chances are?"

She hesitated. "If you're his next of kin I can try. But he's just gone in," she reiterated. "There may be no news yet."

"But you'll try?"

She nodded this time without pause. She picked up a phone at the desk and punched in a number. "Nina? It's Chloe in the ER." She spoke quickly to her colleague. "You guessed it," Nurse Chloe said after a moment.

"Anything at all?" A longer silence as the person on the end of the phone spoke to her.

"Uh huh. And he's gonna come down?" More nodding. "Ok thanks Nina." She replaced the receiver.

"Ok, one of the docs is coming to speak to you, but at the moment he's still in theatre but stable."

Duncan hated the word stable. Hated it with a passion because it told you absolutely nothing. Maybe the doctor could be more enlightening.

But he nodded to the nurse and thanked her. He went back to the relative's room where Powell was still pacing and Frankie was still wrapped in Tessa's arms, Tessa stroking her hair absently.

"A doctor is coming to speak to us," he announced as he entered the room. "He's stable in theatre at the moment."

"They tell you anything else?" Frankie asked sitting up slightly straighter.

"The nurse couldn't tell me anything else. We'll just have to wait for the doctor. He won't be long.

Frankie slumped back down.

"You know we should get you changed. Both of you," Duncan added when he noticed how much blood had rubbed onto Tess.

Frankie shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere till I know he's ok."

"When the doctor has been then," Tessa said softly. "You and I will go and get cleaned up so we don't frighten Richie when we see him."

That stole any argument Frankie might have had from her. She nodded her agreement instead.

The doctor did some quickly, wearing a surgeons scrubs. He introduced himself as Doctor Riley and sat in an empty chair.

"I'm going to be blunt with you," he began. "Richie is very sick right now. There were two bullets, one nicked his aorta the body's main artery and the other his liver. We've managed to close the wound to his aorta, and we're giving him blood transfusions to replace the blood lost," his eyes lingered on Frankie as he spoke. "But the liver," he took a deep breath. "We're trying to control the bleeding, but the damage is extensive."

"Are you saying you think he's going to die?" Duncan asked, finding it difficult to talk around the lump in is throat.

"At this point I'm saying it's a very real possibility." The doctor said gently. "We are doing everything we can, but you should prepare yourself for the worst."

Tessa was rocking Frankie now who was crying uncontrollably. "It's ok, it's ok," she was repeating over and over.

Duncan thanked the doctor who apologised profusely as he left the room, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Duncan returned to the nurses station in a daze. He was too young to die. Far too young to join the Game. Just… too young…

"Sir?" Chloe asked, coming up behind him. "Are you ok? Can I get you anything?"

"Could I use the phone?"

She motioned him to the phone on the desk. "Just dial nine first for an outside line."

"It's long distance." He warned.

The nurse just shrugged, "I don't pay the bill."

It only rang three times before Connor answered. As soon as Duncan spoke he heard Connors tone change.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Richie…" Duncan managed, the concern in Connors voice made it hard to speak. "He's been shot."

A moments silence before, "Is he?"

"Hanging in. But he lost a lot of blood."

"You were there?"

"No. But Frankie was and she's wearing half of Richie's blood."

"You're calling me because you think this may be it?"

Duncan couldn't say it. Didn't want to be thinking it let alone saying the words in case that gave them some power. Stupid thought, but he still couldn't say it.

Connor let the silence stretch for a few seconds. "I'll be there as soon as I can," he said finally.

"Thank you."

There was a click as it disconnected.

!

Three hours later and both Frankie and Tessa were in scrubs. Frankie's hair was still damp, not that Tessa seemed to notice. Frankie was lay across a few chairs with her head in Tessa's lap. Duncan had hoped she might fall asleep, the bags under her eyes sowed how exhausted she was, but she wouldn't let herself fall asleep. So she lay there staring into space, with Tessa still absently stroking her hair.

Powell was still outside somewhere. Duncan had the sneaking suspicion that Powell was truly worried about Richie. He almost smiled at the thought of what Richie would have had to say about that.

"Does it get easier?" the soft question caught Duncan off guard for a moment. He met Frankie's eyes confused for a split second.

"Easier?" he asked.

She nodded her head slightly. "After a while, is losing people easier?"

Duncan sighed. "No," he said simply. "Never."

"How do you live like that?"

No accusation in her question, no judgement. Just a longing to understand.

"There's always something to live for. Someone to live for."

"And he's not going to die," Tessa said firmly. "We have to believe that."

Frankie fell silent again.

A few minutes later the door opened and another doctor came in with the nurse Duncan had spoken to. Frankie sat up as Duncan stood.

"What's happening? Is he ok?" Duncan demanded.

"Mr Macloed, please, sit down."

Frankie's eyes whipped from the doctor to the nurse. The nurse looked scared, or upset, or both. The doctor had sorrow etched into his features.

"No." she said it so quietly that no one heard her at first. "No," she said louder standing up. All eyes turned to her.

"Frankie," Tessa tried to pull her back onto the seat.

Frankie was shaking her head and stepping back as the nurse tried to go to her. Frankie put her hand up to ward her off. "Don't say it!"

"I'm sorry," the doctor was saying. "We did everything we could."

"No!" Frankie practically screamed "Don't say it, please don't say it."

"Frankie," Tessa was crying too. "Frankie, it'll be ok."

She shook her head vehemently, crying and still backing away from the tentative attempts of the nurse and Tessa to touch her.

It was Duncan who walked straight to her and pulled her into a hug. She tried to pull away at first, but very quickly all her energy was gone and she collapsed into his arms."

"Not Richie, god not Richie."

"I know," was all he said, trying to keep his own emotions in check as he rubbed Frankie's backed as she cried into his shirt.

'Too young', was all he could think.


	22. Arrangements

Chapter twenty two

Duncan _needed _to talk to Tessa. He could hardly bear to see her upset when he could stop it. But she wasn't leaving Frankie anytime soon and Duncan couldn't tell her aswell... that had to be Richie's decision. He had to get them home. But Frankie didn't want to leave.

"I am not leaving him here alone!" she was shaking her head vigorously as Tessa tried to convince her they should go home.

"You need to rest," Tessa tried, speaking softly, her hand intertwined with Frankie's.

"No I don't." Frankie had stopped crying for the moment, she seemed to have exhausted tears for now. But her eyes were red and puffy and she spoke quietly.

The doctor and nurse had long since left them alone. They wouldn't be able to see Richie for a little while yet – he was still in the operating theatre. Duncan knew he had some time before Richie would wake up, that gave him some leeway but not much. Ideally he wanted to tell Tessa and give her time to accept Richie's new life, before he had to leave her and see to Richie. But if Frankie wanted to see Richie once the doctors had finished with him then that was going to eat into the time he had to talk to Tessa and make sure he was there when Richie awoke. He had to be there for that.

"Frankie, do you want to see Richie?" Duncan asked as gently as he could. He had to know…

She stared at him silently for a few seconds then looked at Tessa. "I don't think I can." She looked scared.

"Frankie that's fine," Duncan sat next to her. "You don't have to do anything."

"I just don't wanna see him like that," Frankie brushed at her eyes. "But I can't leave him here alone either. He hated hospitals."

Tessa looked at Duncan, obviously at a loss for what to say.

"I know," Duncan agreed. "I can stay with him Frankie. You go home and get some rest with Tessa. I'll look after him."

Frankie turned bright eyes to him. "You promise you won't leave him alone?"

Duncan nodded. "My cousin will be here in a few hours. I can stay with Richie until he gets here and then I can arrange for him to be moved out of the hospital." Duncan tried to lie as little as possible in the words he used. He decided to worry about the small problem of the funeral after he'd spoken to Tessa and Connor.

"Connor is coming?" Tessa asked. She looked exhausted herself, also cried out for the moment. Duncan longed to ease the haunted expression in her eyes.

Duncan nodded. "I called him earlier."

"Richie told me about Connor." Frankie said. Then, "Is he like you?"

Duncan knew what she was asking. "Yes," He said simply.

Frankie nodded to herself. "I can't believe that a few hours ago I was trying to get my head round that, and now I just don't care. Now I wish…" she trailed off.

Duncan didn't encourage her to continue. It was already hard enough to watch her suffer, knowing he could do something to stop it, but at the same time he couldn't take that choice away from Richie.

!

Sergeant Powell took Tessa and Frankie to a hotel. As he had tactfully

explained to Duncan the Loft was currently a crime scene and even if it hadn't been it was a mess and taking Frankie and Tessa back there wasn't a good idea. Duncan stayed at the hospital just as he'd promised. Nurse Chloe had intermittently bought him coffee throughout the rest of the night, and it was her that walked him to the chapel of rest to see Richie.

Duncan was relieved to see Richie showed no signs of reviving anytime soon. His injuries had been severe and add to that the surgery he had undergone Duncan knew he still had time.

Duncan was glad Frankie hadn't wanted to see him. He was the colour of marble, his hair looked washed out against his face, Duncan absently brushed some of the hair from his face. He was so still. Duncan had seen a lot of death in his life, but it didn't get any easier seeing loved ones like this. The fact that Richie would come back didn't make it any easier. In some ways it made it harder. The life he was about to be born into was a hard one. And he had died in front of too many people. They would have to leave Seacouver. Richie would have to leave everything and everyone he had ever known, start a brand new life somewhere, all the while learning how to be immortal.

Duncan stayed with Richie for a long time, allowing his mind to wander, knowing this was the only time he would be able to grieve himself for what Richie had lost. Soon he would have to face Tessa, who he could imagine would not be happy with him. And after that hurdle, he would have to deal with Richie. He would have to the strong one, the teacher and mentor. He wouldn't have time to think about the life Richie had just lost. But for a few moments while Tessa didn't know he'd kept this a secret from her, and while Richie was safely dead, Duncan didn't need to be strong and he allowed himself to grieve for the life lost.

!

Duncan stayed with Richie until Connor arrived. Connor surveyed the scene in front of him.

"You need sleep," he announced.

"I promised Frankie I wouldn't leave him alone." Duncan explained. By now he felt bone tired.

"I'm here now. You need sleep."

"I need to speak with Tessa."

"She doesn't know yet?"

Duncan shook his head. "I haven't been able to speak with her without Frankie."

Connor let out a breath. "You won't have that long Duncan." He warned. "He's going to wake up soon. A few hours I would guess. We need to get moving."

"Frankie knows I'm immortal. If Richie just disappears she'll be suspicious."

"You don't think Richie will tell her?"

"No I don't. She didn't react well to finding out. I don't think he will be willing to bring her into this." As he said it he knew that was really why he hadn't told Frankie anything. He didn't think Richie would want her to know.

"Then we will have to be inconspicuous. You go home, sleep, speak with Tessa. I will arrange things this end."

!


	23. The first talk

Chapter twenty three

What Duncan really wanted to do when he arrived at the hotel was to just fall into bed and sleep. But he knew he couldn't do that. He had to talk to Tessa. And then he had to get back to the hospital. He owed it to Richie to be there when he woke up.

He wasn't surprised to see Tessa in front of the TV flicking through channels, not leaving on one station long enough to see what was on before hopping to the next one. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she looked exhausted.

"Tess," he said softly as he closed the door behind him.

She dropped the remote and went to him, still crying softly. He held onto her for a long moment, silently preparing himself.

"Where's Frankie?" he asked into her hair.

"Asleep in the bedroom, "Tessa nodded to the door that was partially open.

Duncan extricated himself from Tessa and went to the door. He peered inside and saw Frankie sleeping, her breathing even and soft. As quietly as he could Duncan closed the door. He didn't want to wake her before he had chance to speak with Tessa.

"Connor arrived?" Tessa asked, retrieving a tissue from the coffee table in front of the TV.

Duncan nodded. "I need to talk to you Tessa."

"I know we have things to arrange…"

"Yes we do, but not the things you think," Duncan said gently. He wasn't sure how to put this all into words. This was something he had never had to do before. And he was tired. He hadn't slept in over twenty four hours and it was starting to take its toll.

"I don't understand," Tessa said.

"I know." Duncan nodded. "I have something I need to tell you Tess, something I've kept from you. And I'm not sure how to say it."

Tessa was frowning and absently wiping at her eyes. "I don't care about anything you've been keeping from me Duncan. Richie just…" she couldn't finish the sentence.

"I know, I know." Duncan took a deep breath. "It's something I have to tell you now… I just…" he paused. "I have to just say it Tess ok, I don't know how else to do this."

Tessa was shaking her head. "You're scaring me Duncan."  
"I don't mean to. I'm sorry."

"Just spit it out then, forget the preamble."

Ok then….  
"Richie is an Immortal."

Silence hung in the air for the longest time until it was so loud it was deafening.

"No he's not." Tessa said eventually. "He can't be. Other immortals would have come for him, like they do you."  
"No, that's not what I mean. He is Immortal. Now. Because he died an unnatural death. Until he died he was mortal. He could have lived to a normal age and died. But he didn't. So now he's one of us." Duncan explained as simply as he could.

"He was mortal until he died." Repeated Tessa. "And now he'll wake up and be Immortal."

Duncan nodded.

"And you have always known this would happen?"  
"I've always known it _could_ happen. It was never guaranteed. I hoped when we took him in, got him off the streets and away from that life that he'd have a chance Tessa. This is the last thing I'd ever want for him. And I couldn't tell you –"  
"Why not?" Tessa interrupted. "I have kept your secret have I not?" Her shock was turning into anger quickly.  
"Yes. It's not a trust issue Tessa. I couldn't ask you to keep this from Richie. I can ask you to keep my secrets for me but I would never burden with keeping someone else's when you care about them."

Tessa took a deep breath. And her face softened a fraction. "So you are telling me that Richie… He's alive?"

"He will be," Duncan nodded. "Soon." He was aware of the time. The small window he had to break this to Tessa and get back to Richie, where he would have to break this to him also… After swearing to never lie to him…

"We have to tell Frankie!" Tessa made it two steps to Frankie's closed door before Duncan was in front of her, blocking the way.

"We can't sweetheart." He said it softly, but firmly.

"Why not? She knows about Immortals already. She is trustworthy. And she's devastated in there."

"I kept this from Richie, and from you, and I made all the decisions about who needed to know. I took the choices from Richie by not telling him because as I wouldn't burden you I couldn't let him know what his future may hold. I wanted him to live his life not knowing what may happen – that's a luxury I wouldn't take from him. But now. Now he will know, and he has choices he needs to make for himself and he deserves to make them. And one of those decisions is who he tells. He has to decided whether or not he tells Frankie and introduces her fully to this life… Or if he's going to let her go."

"But… He loves her…" Tessa said.

"And that's why he might choose to let her go. You Tess, you mean the world to me, and I have selfishly brought you into a world of danger so that I can be with you. Not everyone choses to do that, especially not when they're so young. Everything is going to change now. We will have to move. Everyone he has ever known will think he's dead. He will need to learn to fight, to use a sword. To defend himself and to kill. He might not want Frankie around for all that."

Tessa breathed heavily for a long time, her eyes focused on the closed door. "She is heartbroken," Tessa said softly. "And I have the knowledge to make it better for her and you're telling me not to share it with her."

"What if it makes it worse?"

"How?"

"She didn't take it well when she found out," Duncan pointed out.  
"That was different, "Tessa insisted.

"Maybe, "Duncan agreed. " But her first reaction was that it was wrong. She couldn't reconcile it with her own morals and beliefs."

"They'd got past that."

"Yes. Because it was me she had to accept. The person she was in love with wasn't the one fighting and killing and being hunted. It's different."

Tessa shook her head ever so slightly. "I suppose you are right. I don't have to like it."

"I'm not suggesting you should," Duncan agreed taking her into his arms and holding her.  
"And I am still angry with you for keeping this from me."

"As you should be." Duncan agreed, relaxing a little as Tessa held him back.

"But I am glad he will be ok."

An understatement on her part to be sure, but Duncan knew she meant it.

"We have to plan the move." She stated.

"We have time…"

"We don't," Tessa pulled back so she could look up at him.

"Richie can't come home, he'll have to go somewhere else. I imagine you plan Connor to take him and for you to follow soon after?"

Duncan nodded, that was indeed his plan.

"He will need all of us. We can say we are leaving Seacouver because it is too painful – it will be the truth. No one would blame us for rushing the sale. And then we can be together, as a family and help him together to… transition."

Duncan couldn't help but smile at her. This was why he loved her. He told her so.

"I love you too, Duncan. And I forgive you for keeping this from me. I understand why you did."

Duncan smiled tightly. "I just hope Richie is as understanding when he wakes up."

"He is a forgiving man. He will understand as I do, that you were doing it for his protection. "  
"I hope you're right, I really do."

A/N. I'm crap I know. I promise on my life I do intend to finish this. I know how it ends – I have since I started it a millennia ago…. I have a billion excuses for you as to why it's taking so long – but they're a story in their own right. But thanks for sticking with this. I will get there.

In the next chapter Richie will finally reappear as something other than a corpse.


	24. Awakening

Chapter twenty four

Richie felt like he'd been asleep for hours. He was slowly climbing towards consciousness, but he still felt groggy, like when you don't have enough sleep but something wakes you up. Yet it felt like an eternity since he'd opened his eyes.

He shifted slightly and realised he definitely wasn't in his own bed. This felt more like a sofa… Sort of.

"Richie?"

He recognised Mac's voice, and wanted to answer but he couldn't quite make his mouth work. It felt dry and like it hadn't been used for a long time. He tried licking his lips. It didn't help.

"Richie, can you hear me?"

Mac sounded upset. That wasn't good. Richie tried to open his eyes, to reassure Mac he was ok. He thought he was ok anyway – nothing hurt, and he didn't feel sick. Just a bit stiff maybe, and tired.

"Give him a minute Duncan, let him come round in his own time."

Connor, Richie recognised the second voice. That worried him. Connor rarely showed up unless something was really wrong. A moment of panic pressed in on Richie. He knew he was forgetting something but he couldn't quite grasp the memory.

He felt Mac's hand on his forehead, pushing his hair back. "It's ok Richie, you're safe."

Of course he was, he knew that. Why was Mac trying to reassure him the? Something had obviously happened. Something that involved him and that was why Connor was here too. But he was ok so it couldn't be anything too bad. Except… He was starting to think he was forgetting something really important. Something he had to remember… He had to try…

The last thing he remembered was dinner with Frankie. They'd had a nice evening. Mac and Tessa were out. It couldn't be anything to do with Tessa, if it was Mac would be with her not him. And He'd remember if something had happened to Frankie – wouldn't he?

The longer he thought about the clearer the memory was becoming. He'd gone to start the dishes… someone was at the door.

His eyes fluttered open briefly. Wherever he was there was the ugliest ceiling fan in the world above him. Mac was obviously paying attention because his hand tightened on Richie's at the signs of life he was exhibiting.

He tried to focus again on the memory that was so close now. He'd gone to answer the door. Had told Frankie to stay where she was. Had opened the door.

Kate. Again.

Asking for money again.

He'd heard Frankie coming towards them then, he'd barely noticed the steps at the time, but now he realised he had heard them. And for a second he'd worried she'd be hurt too until he'd seen them running away.

Wait.

He'd a skipped something there. Why was he afraid she'd be hurt?

Because he'd been shot.

The memory blossomed in full in his head, like a firework going off.

The bang, so loud, the smell of gunpowder hanging in the air. The white hot pain, that went as soon as it had come. Kate's scream as he slowly fell to the floor. Frankie's voice, cutting straight to the bone as she cried over him…

Sirens. Hands on him. Medical jargon shouted every which way above him. Needles being inserted in every vein they managed to find… And then…

Nothing.

This time when his eyes opened the stayed open. His head still felt foggy and he wanted nothing more than to give into the desire to close his eyes again. But he couldn't. He had to know if…

His eyes found Mac's. He looked like hell. There were black rings under his eyes that made it look like he hadn't slept in days. And he looked older, like events had taken their toll. Richie stared for a long moment, then his eyes found Connor – who looked only marginally better than Mac did.

"Richie?" Mac spoke softly, and sounded almost scared.

Richie turned his eyes back to Mac.

"Did I die?" his voice was scratchy, and sounded like it belonged to someone else. But it asked the question that really Richie already knew the answer too.

A pause, just a fraction of a heartbeat, but Richie noticed it.

"Yes." Mac confirmed.

"I'm not dead now." Even as he said it he decided that was a stupid statement. Dead people don't talk. Don't think. Don't wake up.

"No, you aren't dead now." Mac affirmed.

"I wasn't resuscitated?" For some reason he just couldn't ask the question he really wanted to ask.

"No," Mac shook his head. "The doctors tried but they couldn't save you."

"But I'm alive?"

"Very much so." The ghost of a smile played on Mac's lips.

"Am I like you?" That was as close as he could get to verbalising his question.

Mac nodded.

"You always knew I was?"

"I always knew you could be."

Richie nodded. That made sense.

"You never said…"

"I couldn't," Mac explained. "We don't in case…The knowledge would change how you lived. You deserved some normalcy."

Richie decided now was not the time to point out that living with an Immortal was not exactly normal. He also decided that he wanted to sit up. He pushed up onto his elbows and looked down at himself. He was in hospital scrubs…

"Why am I wearing this?" he asked.

"The loft is a crime scene. We haven't been able to get in to get you clothes yet," Connor answered.

Richie looked around the room he was in and his eyes widened. "Am I in a funeral home?" his voice had gone up in pitch by a couple of octaves as well.

"Be glad I know the owner or you'd be in a coffin laddie." Connor said, earning him a severe look from Mac.

"A coffin." Richie repeated. "That'd be… weird. This is weird."

"Are you ok?" Mac asked gently, helping him to sit up the rest of the way.

"I'm dead." Richie said.

"Only legally speaking," Connor interjected again.

Mac gave him another look.

"What?" he demanded. "There's no point sugar coating it. He knows how it is Duncan."  
"Knowing and living it are two different things." Mac said through gritted teeth. "Maybe you could wait outside for a few minutes." The latter was not a suggestion.

"Fine," Connor huffed out of the room. Under different circumstances it might have been funny.

The two of them watched him go before Richie let out a breath. "How's Frankie?"

He knew she was ok, physically. He remembered her being there. But she'd sounded…

"Upset. She thinks you're dead." Mac said.

Richie nodded. "You told Tessa though right?" He didn't want Tessa thinking the worst.

"I told her a few hours ago."

"Good."

Silence reigned for a long minute.

"I'm sorry Richie." He said it softly but they were sat so close together he heard it anyway.

"For what? You didn't shoot me." He was genuinely confused.

"For not telling you this. After I promised. Twice."

Richie managed a small humourless laugh. "You know when I made you make that promise this wasn't the sort of thing I had in mind. So don't… I dunno, brood about it. I'd have done the same thing."

Mac wrapped an arm around Richie's shoulder. "Are you really ok?"

Richie half shrugged. "I don't know. I'm in scrubs. In a funeral home. Apparently I need to be thankful I'm not in a coffin, after dying because my ex-girlfriend got me shot. But I haven't stayed dead and now I'm Immortal and have to kill to survive. Not to mention I have to leave everything I've ever known. Don't I?"  
At the last he looked at Mac.  
"I guess that about sums it up," he agreed. "There will be an investigation into your death, so yes, we will have to move."  
"We?"

"You think we'd let you go on your own?" Mac shook his head. "We are going with you Richie. A lot will change now, but we are still a family. That isn't going to change."

Richie felt as if a great weight had lifted. He hadn't even realised he was worried about it…. But still it was a lot to ask…

"But you have a life here…" Richie started.

"_We _had a life here. Moving around is my speciality. Tessa won't let you go without her so you don't really get to have a say in that."

"What do I have a say in?"

A beat. Then, "Frankie."  
Richie was shaking his head immediately. "She can never know. Never." He faced Mac, met his gaze unwaveringly. "Promise me you'll never tell and won't let Tess either. "  
Mac was nodding. "If you're sure Richie."  
"I am." And he was. From the second he realised what had happened he knew he couldn't tell her.

"I love her Mac, so much I think it might kill me to never see her again. But… she isn't cut out for this life. I couldn't do that to her. Put her in that position. She couldn't handle it. I realize now just how rare someone like Tessa is."

"You know Frankie loves you as much as you love her?"

"I do know that," Richie smiled slightly. "Which is why I know her having to leave me because of my lifestyle might break her heart more than believing I'm dead. At least this way she can remember me and our months together happily. She can mourn me and move on, have a normal life, with a normal man and be happy. I can give her that, even if she doesn't know it."

"I can't tell you how proud I am of the man you are Richie," Mac said.

"You think I'm doing the right thing?"

"It's what you think that matters. I can't tell you what to do here."  
"You don't seem surprised."  
Mac shrugged. "I suppose I was expecting this. But it had to be your decision."

"OK. So what's the plan then. Cos she's gonna know somethings up if I disappear before my funeral." It was easier to move onto practical plans, to not think about everything he would miss…

"Connor knows the owner,"Mac indicated the funeral home." He's… aware of the situation. Closed casket at your own request, you never liked the thought of viewing dead bodies…"  
"Aint that the truth," Richie interrupted.

Mac continued as if the interruption hadn't happened. "We'll weight the coffin. No one will know you aren't in it."  
"And where will I be?"

"In New York, with Connor."

"Right."

"Tessa and I will join you as soon as you funeral is over. And Frankie is home."  
"And then? Where to?"

"I was thinking," Mac said slowly, "You might like to take a few months to see where I grew up. It's been a long time since I went home…"

"Scotland?" Richie asked.

Mac nodded. "I'd like to take you to the Highlands."


	25. How to drink whiskey

Chapter 25

Richie looked through the bag Tessa had packed and sent to him. He half expected some of his favourite t-shirts to be "missing," Richie knew how much she hated a few of them. But they were all there, apart from one – Duncan had told him Frankie had taken a few things home with her, Richie guessed his favourite t-shirt was one of those things.

Richie sighed and lay back on his bed. He could unpack later. It had been 2 weeks since he'd died. It had taken nearly a week for Duncan and Tessa to get back into the Loft to prepare it for sale. Richie guessed he'd made a mess when he was bleeding out all over the floor…

His funeral had been held three days previously. Tessa informed him there was a good turnout – which was weird to know. And strangely upsetting. Maybe it was because leaving everything behind would be easier if he thought no one cared or would really miss him. It was hard enough to know what he was doing to Frankie without having to think about anyone else missing him.

And Frankie had gone home yesterday. Duncan and Tessa had made a point of phoning him every day to keep him up to date with events. Tessa had told him they'd taken her to the airport after speaking to her mum to ensure someone was going to be at the other end to meet her. Richie had wanted to give back her Miraculous Medal. He didn't feel he deserved it now. He'd left it with Tessa when he'd come to New York with Connor. But Frankie had refused it. Given it back to Tessa. Asked for Richie to be buried in it.

It was sat on the top of his things when Richie had first opened the bag. He picked it up now from the bedside table and looked at it. He shouldn't wear it… He'd decided their fate single handedly. Given her no say, no choice, no input. He still believed he'd made the right decision. But this was a symbol of their love. Their love that he had ended. The Virgin Mary stared at him from the face of the medal.

"I don't even know if I believe in God," Richie mumbled to himself. Not that that was even really the point. It wasn't why she'd given it him in the first place.

Frankie had wanted him to have it. She believed he was buried wearing it. The least he could do was wear it, even if his heart ached every time he thought of her and this medal reminded him of her and everything he no longer had. It was what Frankie was having to live through as well. He could at least feel the same pain as her right?

Well not the same, but just as painful. She thought he was dead and would have to live the rest of her life knowing he was gone. Never able to see him again. He knew she was alive and would have to spend the rest of his life knowing that and never being able to see her.

The more he thought about it the more it hurt.

He slipped the necklace back on.

"Richie?" Rachel's voice floated through the apartment. She knew he'd be in his room. It's where he always was when no one else was in, or in fact was just where he always was unless either she or Connor made him come out.

He didn't bother answering. He was used to the routine now. He'd answer and they'd just ask him to 'come here a minute', so it was just easier to skip the answering step.

He dragged himself off the bed and went to his door.

"You're home early," Richie observed.

Rachel smiled. "I thought you might be in need of some company."

"You didn't need to come home early for me." Richie said frowning.

"Of course I didn't have to." Rachel agreed. "But I wanted to. You're spending too much time alone at the moment and I don't want you dwelling on the things that can't be undone."

"What like being dead?" Richie asked raising his eyebrows. "Gotta say I'm doing better than most in that situation." He lent on the doorframe and crossed his arms.

"In that you're breathing yes. But you're also achieving about the same as most in that situation – nothing."

"What am I supposed to be achieving?" Richie demanded. "I can't go out in case someone tries to chop off my head, I can't start to learn how to fight because Connor won't go their cos I'm 'Duncan's student', and who knows when Mac's gonna come get me. And when he does I'm leaving here anyway so what am I supposed to start that I can leave at a moment's notice?"

Rachel shrugged and then smiled. "How about dinner?"

Richie rolled his eyes and started to walk towards her. "You think I'm moping? Is that why you're trying to distract me?"

Rachel took him by the hand and started leading him towards the kitchen. "I think you miss your family. And I think your world has just changed forever. And it was a world you were happy in. So I do think you're moping, but I understand why. That doesn't mean I'm going to let you sit in that room all day every day and only come out when you have to. I've given you two weeks, now I think it's getting unhealthy."

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. Really."

Rachel didn't respond for a long moment, she just stared at him until he felt well and truly uncomfortable. Which he told her.

"Sorry." She said, and went to the fridge." I was just wondering if that ever worked with Tessa or Duncan?"

"What?"

"Saying you're fine when you are obviously anything but?" Rachel clarified, handing him a knife and a pepper. "Chop that for me please."

Richie mechanically took the knife and pepper. "I guess they chose their battles," he admitted wryly.

"You don't have to talk to me about anything you don't want to, just talk to me about something. It's the easiest way to get me off your back. And it's me or Connor."

Richie paused mid chop.

"Huh?"

"He's not very good at expressing himself, but he's worried about you. And until Duncan arrives he is responsible for you. He was saying this morning he needs to try and get you out of your room and conversing. I thought I would save you from a well meaning Connor."

Richie thought the world of Connor – truly he did, but the idea of him trying to get him to… converse… was horrifying. Mac was good at that sort of thing. Could get him talking before he realised he was. But Connor had always struck him as more of an action guy, than a chatty guy. There had, of course been the odd time where he'd given advice, but that had been more of a, 'right time, right place' scenario. Drop in a few words of wisdom and then let Mac or Tessa take over…

"Er thanks." He stuttered.

"So," Rachel smiled again. "What shall we talk about?"

Richie shrugged. Then noticed the liquor cabinet.

_She'll never go for it…_

!

Richie felt the presence of another Immortal wash over him. Absently he wondered when he would get used to it, and when it would stop sending a ripple of fear through him when he felt it. If it ever did stop. Logically he knew it would be Connor, he'd been getting home at this time every night since Richie had been there, but it still made him jump a little every time.

Rachel saw the change, and followed his gaze to the door.

"He's home then?"

Richie nodded, waiting to see the door open so he could be sure it was Connor and not anyone else. And finally let out the breath he tried not to hold when Connor came through the door.

Connor appraised the room for moment and then his eyes narrowed. "Is that my scotch?"

Richie looked down at his glass that did indeed hold Connors scotch.

"Rachel made me," Richie said instantly. It was almost true – she'd wanted to talk after all not him. It wasn't his fault she'd actually agreed to discuss the _correct _ way to drink scotch. And it had been her that had insisted you couldn't just talk about it, you had to try it…

"He's moving to Scotland – he can drink there, I thought he may as well learn to appreciate a good scotch here." Rachel said taking a sip of her own drink and neglecting to mention Richie's part in it. Which he reflected, was probably for the best. "Would you like one?"

"Duncan will kill me if I get him drunk." Connor said still frowning and ignoring the question.

"Er, I'm not drunk," Richie pointed out. "And he's not here anyway."

"I'm teaching him to appreciate the drink Connor," Rachel said in a tone that was almost disapproving. "You of all people should know that that's completely different to getting someone drunk. I would have started with wine but we seem to be lacking any good vintages."

"So you thought my fifty year old scotch was a better plan?"

"Fifty years old!" Richie squeaked. "Wow. Bet it was expensive. "

"The point," Rachel said before Connor could respond, "Is that Richie now knows never to add ice, that it should be left at room temperature for at least twenty minutes to breathe, and sipping are all important components to the best experience."

"Yeah, the way I see you and Mac downing it in one - that's a big no no if you wanna appreciate the taste."

Connor raised his eyebrows. "Now he's criticizing how I drink?"

Rachel shrugged. "He has a point."

Connor's frown deepened. He let his gaze fall on Richie "I never down anything over 15 years old. That's why I have the younger vintages in the apartment. Same with Duncan. Not that I want to see you doing any of that until you're actually old enough to legally drink."

Richie raised an eyebrow. "Connor, as you pointed out, legally I'm dead. I think compared to that a little drink here and there is nothing."

"I'll let you tell Duncan that shall I?"

"Erm…" Richie was saved from answering by the phone ringing.

"Speaking of Duncan," Connor muttered. "You might as well get it. He never wants to speak to me anyway."

Richie couldn't help but smile at that. He hopped off the sofa and reached for the phone while Connor muttered about going to help Rachel with the dinner.

"Hello."

"Richie?" Duncan's voice.

"Hey Mac," Richie sank into the armchair next to the phone.

"You sound happier today." Duncan sounded relieved.

Richie hadn't realised Duncan had picked up on his mood, but then of course he had, he always did.

"Yeah, I guess I am a bit. Rachel's really cool."

Duncan laughed. "It's taken you two weeks to work that out."

"Well, maybe she had to kinda force me to pay attention."

"Forced you?" Duncan asked. "How?"

"Apparently Connor was getting worried about me. And, like threatening to try and talk to me or something."

Duncan laughed again. "And that would have been bad?"

"Hell yeah," Richie said emphatically. "Not to mention weird. He's no you Mac."

A moment of silence as the casual comment Richie had meant nothing by when he'd said it sank in for both of them. "I mean…"

"I know what you mean," Duncan assured him. "And I've been on the receiving end of Connor when he's worried. You aren't ready for that side of him yet. And I don't think he's ready for you yet either."

"Well catastrophe averted," Richie assured glancing at Rachel and Connor in the kitchen, so at home with each other – which he supposed they should be after all these years. Rachel saw him looking and winked at him as she pointed Connor to another task. "How's Tessa?"

"Packing. That's why it's taken me until now to phone."  
"Cos Tess is packing?"

"We sold the store," Duncan explained. "Tessa's finishing packing everything we want to keep."

"So does that mean…"

"We'll be in New York tomorrow evening."

A/N I've been to Scotland to a whisky distillery and the man doing the tour was quite adament about exactly how whisky should be drunk - that's where I got my info for that bit.


	26. Highland weather

Chapter twenty six

Richie woke the next day feeling positively upbeat. He was going to see Mac and Tessa again finally! He realised he had never been away from the two of them for this long since he'd met them. In fact he couldn't remember not seeing at least one of them for more than a couple of days.

He bounded into the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. Naturally Connor was already up reading the paper. . He wondered, not for the first time, if it was something genetic that got MacLeod's up so early.

"Morning," Connor greeted from behind his paper. "There's coffee in the pot."

"Thanks, " Richie helped himself.

"Duncan phoned while you were still asleep." Connor said, adding credence to Richie's previous thought.

"Yeah?"

"Mmm. They'll be landing at 8.30 tonight. I said I'd pick them up from the airport. I think they plan to stay a couple of days before leaving for Scotland."

Richie nodded. "Mac said they'd probably stay a couple of days last night. Give time for the stuff they're shipping to arrive in Scotland ahead of us."

"Are you looking forward to seeing our Homeland?" Connor inquired, folding his paper and sipping his coffee.

"I guess…"Richie said.

"You guess? You don't sound that enthusiastic"

"No, really I am…" Richie insisted. It's just…"

"Just what?" Connor asked when Richie didn't continue.

"It's gonna sound really stupid…"

"So spit it out," Connor instructed.

"It's October already…"

"Yes, it tends to come after September," Connor said.

"And October is Fall…"

"Again something I was aware of." Connor was beginning to respect the patience Duncan must have when talking to Richie. It was like pulling teeth…

"Well after Fall is –"

"Winter," Connor interrupted. "What's your… Oh…" Connor smiled. "You're worried about the Highland winter."

"Not worried, per se… Just… wary."

"Richie," Connor said patiently. "People have thrived in the Highlands for a long time. They even have electricity up there now…"

"I told you it would sound stupid." Richie sounded sulky to his own ears .

Connor obviously picked up on the tone as well. "We all get nervous about new starts Richie. You'll be fine. You'll have Duncan and Tessa and it's the perfect place to start to learn everything you need to learn. Lots of secluded places where you won't be disturbed."

"Lots of mountains for Mac to make me run up," Richie added.

Connor grinned. "An unfit Immortal is a dead Immortal. And at least the view is pretty."

"Guess I'll find out… So when will he give me a sword?"

Connor shrugged now. "When he thinks you're ready. And when he finds a suitable one for you. At the moment you're under his protection – he will take any challenges for you."

"For how long?" Richie asked.

"Until Duncan believes he has taught you enough to take your own challenges. Or until he has no choice."

….

It was mid morning when the phone rang. Connor let it ring a few times, expecting Richie to get it as he was nearest to it. After a few rings however Connor realised it wasn't happening.

"I'll get it shall I?" Connor called over to Richie who was lounging on the sofa, remote in hand.

"Hey, it's not gonna be for me, Mac and Tess will be too busy to ring and everyone else thinks I'm dead." Richie defended.

"You could still answer it."

"Why? I'm comfy, it'll be for you anyway so I'd just now not be comfy and you'd have to come get it anyway. May as well cut out the middle man."

He almost preferred Richie skulking in his room. He'd forgotten what teenagers were like, it had been a long time since Rachel was that age. And he didn't remember her being this infuriating.

"MacLoed." Connor almost snapped into the receiver.

"Connor." Duncan's voice was strained. Connor knew the tone. Something was very wrong.

"What's happened?" he asked without pre-amble.

"Tessa's been kidnapped."

"Immortal?"

"No. A watcher."

Connor dragged what Duncan had told him about the watchers up from the depths of his memory.

"I thought they 'watched.' "

"Well this one doesn't just watch. He's taken her to get to me. From what I can gather he's done it before. Killed a few Immortals this way."

"So he's a Hunter." Connor stated.

"And he's gone too far taking Tessa."

"Do you want me to come?" Connor was aware Richie had muted the TV and was watching Connor's side of the exchange. Connor didn't make eye contact.

"No, I need to know Richie's safe. I can't worry about both of them right now." Duncan was definite on that and Connor could see his point. He needed to be able to focus. "Is he there?"

"Yes." That he was listening to every word was implicit.

"Can I talk to him? He should hear it from me."

Connor held out the phone for Richie. He was up and at Connor's side in an instant.

"Mac?"

…

Richie paced relentlessly around Connor's apartment. Every time he sat down he had the urge to get up again after a few minutes. He knew he couldn't go to Seacouver and realistically what could he have done anyway if he had gone? Nothing useful, but that didn't mean he liked being stuck in New York while both Tessa and Mac were in danger thousands of miles away.

Of course if any one could save Tessa it was Mac, but from the sounds of things Mac was in more trouble. Tessa was just the bait.

Another reason Richie was glad he hadn't told Frankie. He knew Mac would be freaking out in his own way, but he managed to do it and still stay functional. Richie knew he'd be climbing the walls in Mac's place. Hell, he was climbing the walls now and Tessa wasn't his girlfriend.

He remembered Tessa's reaction two weeks ago when he'd seen her again the first time after waking up.

!

"_Richie, oh thank god!" Tessa had said and practically flung herself at him. _

_Richie had responded to her hug automatically, but he was more than a little taken aback by the ferocity at which she was holding onto him. _

"_Tess, I'm ok," he managed to say into her hair. _

"_I know, but oh Richie when I thought you were dead…" was she crying?" It broke my heart."_

_Richie didn't know what to say so he said nothing. He noticed Mac looking on from the other side of the room, a small smile playing on his lips._

"_You are ok, yes? Tessa pulled back and cupped his face in her hands. Richie could see she was after reassurances. Maybe living with an Immortal for twelve years hadn't prepared her for this because she was looking at him like he might disappear any second. _

"_I will be," Richie said. "Don't worry about me."_

"_As if I can not worry about you," Tessa had said and enveloped him once more. "I am so grateful we have a second chance. I have not told you enough before that I love you."_

_Richie found there was a lump in his throat he couldn't speak around. He knew it, knew both of them loved him, it was in every action and word they said to him. But hearing the actual words, from someone who knew all the bad about him and who was the nearest thing to a mother he had ever had, that he could remember anyway, was almost too much for him to take. _

_Tessa seemed to understand because she didn't expect a response. She just held onto him as if she was the only thing anchoring him to the world. It was at that moment that Richie realised he meant what he'd said – he would be ok. Even if everything else was different now he still hadTessa and Mac._

_!_

"Richie, you're making me feel tired just watching you," Connors voice penetrated Richie's musings.

"I need to do something." Richie said, irritated.

"And the only thing you can think of is to pace? Constantly."

"Well what do you suggest?" Richie snapped.

Connor sighed. "I don't know." He admitted.

"How can you just sit there? All calm?" Connor hadn't moved from the armchair since replacing the phone receiver.

"I'm conserving my energy." Connor said softly.

"Why?" Richie stopped in front of Connor. "You think this guy could take Mac? Cos you'd be wrong."

"If you are so confident in his victory, why are you so restless?"

"Because." Richie resumed pacing.

"That's your argument? _Because._" Connor repeated incredulously.

Richie ignored him. He didn't have an answer for him, not one he wanted to verbalise anyway. Mac would be fine. He'd save Tessa and end this guy. It was what he did. What he always did. He won. Mac always won. He wouldn't stop now when it was Tessa in danger. No way. So there wasn't really anything for him to be worrying about. He just had to pass the time until the phone rang and Mac or maybe even Tessa would be on the other end telling him everything was ok. Like it always was when it came to the three of them.

It was just different this time because he was so far away. That's all it was. That was why he had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. Because he couldn't help Mac this time. And that was why he was pacing. Not because he thought either of them could get hurt, no, just because there was nothing he could do but wait it out.

…

Rachel had cooked, even though none of them really had an appetite. Even Richie had barely touched it. Connor had watched him push the food around his plate for ten minutes before excusing himself. Connor hadn't managed much more himself.

"He'll have worn himself out soon," Rachel observed while she cleared the plates.

Finally Richie was sat on the sofa, but his hand was still drumming on the arm as if he couldn't bear to be completely still.

"You think? He has an abundance of energy." Connor said helping her with the last of the plates.

"He's still human." Rachel said.

They worked next to each other in silence for a few minutes. Connor loosing himself in the menial task. It felt good to have something to do with his hands. If he didn't have Richie to watch he would have gone and worked out with his sword and lost himself in that for a few hours. But he doubted Duncan would thank him for leaving Richie unattended for that length of time. Not that he was being much use to the boy anyway, but at least he was here. That's what he kept telling himself. Besides, Richie had a habit of doing the unexpected, so Connor didn't want him out of sight.

"I told you," Rachel said in a hushed voice. She nodded towards the sleeping form of Richie when Connor looked up.

"About time," the volume of Connor's voice matched hers. He was more than a little relieved that exhaustion had finally taken Richie. He hoped that when Richie woke up he'd have some good news for him.

…

Duncan looked down at the man dead at his feet. He hated killing mortals usually, their lives already so fleeting, but this man had deserved the sharp end of his sword. Duncan couldn't manage to feel any remorse for this killing. He stayed there for only a moment longer before going to find Tessa. After this he was almost glad they were leaving. Seacouver was a haven of bad memories for him right now. Richie had met his first death here and then he'd thought he was going to lose Tessa… The thought didn't fully coalesce, he couldn't think about life without Tessa – not so soon. Twelve years was nothing. He wanted her full natural life before he could contemplate how he could live after she was gone.

He found her in short order, handcuffed to the radiator. It took him seconds to cut through the steel with his Katana. And then he was holding her. The relief he felt was almost overwhelming. Tessa was alright. That was all that mattered.

"C'mon. Let's get you home."

The temptation to stay in the house and look into this guy was strong, but ultimately overshadowed by his desire to get Tessa home. She'd been through enough for one day he reasoned. And they had a flight to re-book and packing to finish…

He walked her to the car with his arm wrapped protectively around her. It was a cold night. He was so focused on Tessa he didn't noticed the man approaching them until he was directly on front of them. In a second Duncan had taken in the ripped jeans, the bandana and the desperation that was evident on his face before he opened his mouth. In a way he reminded of Richie when they'd first met.

"Nice car. How about a ride?" It sent Duncan's danger sense off instantly. He wanted to get Tessa out of there now.

"Some other time," he said trying to position himself in front of Tessa without being too obvious.

"Now! Gimme your keys!"

He was just out of arms reach for Duncan to try and take the gun the kid had just produced from his jacket.

He held out a hand in a placating gesture.

"OK, ok," he handed the keys over without hesitation, the car could be replaced, Tessa could not.

"I want your rings, wallet, necklace, c'mon!"

Duncan heard Tessa removing her jewellery – she wasn't wearing much, they'd been packing when Duncan had gone out briefly for more boxes and come back to find Tessa gone.

"That's all you got?"

It was all the warning he got and it wasn't enough. Afterwards he would go over and over it in his mind, trying to figure out if there was something else he could have done to prevent it. But as soon as he felt the first bullet pierce his skin he knew he was about to die. For a kid obviously strung out he had a damn good shot. His last thought as he hit the ground was of Tessa, and how he couldn't lose her like this, not after everything.

…

A/N –In the very first chapter I mentioned in my A/N I was heading this way - it's taken me 25 chapters to get here, but here we are. So some of it is lifted straight from the episode the darkness – I don't claim it as mine remotely. I still love that episode it's one of my favourites.


	27. The second talk

A/N Warning: swearing in this chapter. And thanks for the reviews – appreciate it

Twenty seven

Connor snatched the phone up before it finished its first ring. He didn't want Richie waking up. It was late, or early depending how you looked at it, and Richie's breathing was deep and even. He had decided against trying to get him into bed, knowing the moment he was awake he'd probably begin the incessant pacing of the apartment again. He'd lowered the lights hours ago to try and keep Richie from waking, and then sat himself next to the phone to await Duncan's call. So he was ready at the very first ring to grab the receiver.

"Nash," Connor said and waited.

There was silence on the other end.

"Duncan?" Connor could feel his heart beginning to plummet. This wasn't how good news was delivered.

"She's gone Connor," the words came down the line, broken and full of pain.

Damn. Damn, damn, damn.

"I'm on my way." There weren't words for when you lost the love of your life, so Connor didn't try and say any. Nothing said can ease the vacuum created when they were gone. And it didn't matter how old they got, they still felt every new loss as if it was the first, it cut as deeply and as painfully every time. Connor had never loved anyone the way he had loved Heather. She had been and remained, the love of his life. Not a day passed he didn't think of her with love and with a sense of longing for what they had had. To this day he still did as she had asked and lit a candle for her on her birthday and remembered her. As long as he lived he would do that for her. And for as long as he lived he would carry the pain of living when she wasn't.

"No, you can't," Duncan's voice, still filled the raw pain of grief was strong as he said that. "Richie can't come here. And he can't be alone. I can't tell him over the phone Connor. I don't think I can tell him…"

What Duncan was asking hung unsaid between them for a few seconds. "I will tell him, of course." Connor said eventually, and with a heavy heart. The hardest thing in the world was the delivery of this sort of news. It wasn't something he was looking forward to in the slightest. He had no idea how Richie would take it, one thing he was sure of, it would come better from Duncan, but that wasn't an option. There was no way Duncan could get to New York before Richie woke up and Connor could imagine the fallout if Richie was lied to about this.

"Thank you," Duncan's voice was a whisper. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Take care of yourself Duncan," Connor said replacing the receiver.

Connor took a deep breath looking over at Richie's sleeping form. There was no real decision as to whether or not to wake him. He wouldn't get much sleep for the next couple of nights most likely. No point in waking him. He could tell him in the morning.

!

Richie watched the steam rise from his coffee. Watched the intricate pattern it danced in front of his eyes before dissipating into the air, never to be seen again. Fitting really.

Tessa was dead. Really dead. Dead and never coming back. Like Emily. Like Gary.

Richie could feel Rachel's eyes on him. She hadn't moved far away from him since he'd woken up and Connor had told him. She kept trying to talk to him. Richie didn't have anything to say. There was nothing to say was there? It had happened. It was done and over. And for the second time in two weeks his life had changed completely.

Mac was still in Seacouver of course. Organising things there. Tessa would want to be buried in France. Richie felt a pang at the thought. He'd never been to Paris. Tessa had always said they'd go together. She would show him the sights his first time there. That couldn't happen now.

Mac. He must be dying inside. Richie couldn't imagine the pain being any worse that what he was feeling, but it had to be worse for Mac. Or maybe it was easier once you got used to losing people. He had to have lost a lot of people in four hundred years right? Richie hoped it got easier because he couldn't imagine feeling like this every time someone died. He couldn't feel like this again.

What if something happens to Mac? Richie had no idea where the thought came from. But once it popped into his head it just wouldn't go away. He had always known that Mac lived a dangerous life, one that he too now would be living. He knew it anyway – knew that every time he was challenged he could lose and not come back. But knowing it and believing it would appear to be two different things. He'd worried before about Mac going out with sword in hand, chasing after some other Immortal, fighting to the death, but he'd always come back. And honestly, Richie always expected him too. Because bad things happened sure, but the three of them were supposed to be ok. Untouchable. Hell, even when he had died he'd come back.

Tessa should have come back too. Not that Richie could see her living this life – it wasn't her. She was too gentle. But the alternative was this. Living every day forever without her here. Never seeing her again. It was so wrong. So wrong. And Richie didn't know if he could deal with it.

!

They all told him he was numb. It hadn't hit him yet. It wasn't true. Numb is still a feeling. You know you don't feel, or at least you know there are feelings dancing around the edges. What Richie felt was nothing. Absolutely nothing. He wasn't sad, he wasn't upset, angry, bitter, depressed. He didn't even feel an emptiness where Tessa used to be, he felt… nothing.

Richie watched everyone around him grieving and almost wished he could join in. Shed a few tears, let Mac or Connor or even Rachel offer a few pearls of wisdom that would make him feel better, let them give him a hug and then they could all move on and forget the pain associated with every mention of her name now. But there was no pain when they said her name. No anything. Just a deep empty pit of nothing. And he couldn't fake emotions where there weren't any. So he ignored the concerned looks everyone kept giving him and let them believe what they wanted.

He'd half hoped that he'd feel something when the coffin had been lowered into the ground. That maybe that would spark something in him. It had certainly affected Mac. Richie could count on one hand the amount of times he'd seen Mac close to tears, let alone actually cry. But he had stood there at the side of Tessa's grave and had openly wept. Connor had held onto him, and had looked like he might shed a tear himself. Rachel had been crying intermittently since the church. But Richie… There just wasn't anything there. His eyes were all dried up.

The wake was in full swing, everyone comforting everyone else at the Noel home. He was aware of the glances his way. He knew Tessa's family knew who he was. When the four of them had arrived in Paris they had been introduced. Richie had barely spoken to them. He didn't want to have to deal with their grief. Mac had said all the right things for the both of them anyway. And they had pretty much left him alone.

He barely spoke to Mac either. It was easier to be distant with what he had planned. Richie's course had been decided within an hour of getting the news from Connor. It was the best thing for all of them. He couldn't tell Mac because he'd try to change his mind so this was just easier. Get the funeral out of the way and then leave. Go somewhere Mac and Connor wouldn't think to look for him and be on his own for a while. Mac would get over it soon enough, and probably wouldn't keep looking for him after a couple of months. Then Mac too could get on with his life without having to worry about having a new Immortal to look after and train.

The plan had cemented in Richie's mind as soon as he'd seen Mac that first time back in New York. He had looked exhausted, devastated. At that moment Richie had been worried what would happen if he was challenged now - Mac would have lost. The people he cared about were his weak link and that included Richie. Connor could look after himself and Rachel was Connors weak link, not Mac's. So remove himself from the situation and Mac would be a hundred times safer. It was the least he could do for Tessa.

Under normal circumstances Mac would probably have picked up that something was wrong, but like everyone else, he put it down to Tessa's death and was leaving Richie alone. That wouldn't last forever so Richie knew the night of the funeral was the best time to go. Before Mac decided maybe there was something else going on as well.

!

Bag packed Richie was ready to go. He wasn't taking a lot with him, he had to make a quick getaway and get some distance before Mac noticed he was missing. He was at the front door to of their hotel room, hand on door knob when the light flicked on.

Richie cursed under his breath. He should have waited a bit longer…

"What are you doing?" Mac sounded calm, but Richie wasn't fooled.

He kept his back to Mac and his hand still on the door knob. He was still leaving, he just had to talk to Mac first that was all. Plan still stood.

"Are you leaving?" Mac demanded. "Just like that you were going to leave? When we've just buried Tessa?"

Richie breathed out heavily and slowly turned to face Mac. "Yeah I'm leaving," he said simply. "I didn't say anything because you've got enough happening-"  
"Are you serious?" Mac exploded, not letting Richie finish his sentence.

"Yeah I'm serious. It's my life Mac and I want to live it how I want to live it. So I'm going, and you don't get to try and change my mind." Richie felt absurdly proud of how calmly the words came out. Mac seemed momentarily lost for words and Richie decided to capitalize on this and turned back to the door and attempted to open it.

Mac may have been lost for words but he was still damn quick. As soon as Richie had the door open a crack Mac's hand had snaked round and slammed it shut.

Richie sighed, lamenting again his impatience…

"You are not just walking out on me with that as your explanation," somehow Mac managed to be between the door and Richie in the same move as shutting the door.

Richie took a step back. "I don't have to explain anything to you."

Mac was silent for a long time staring at Richie who felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "I'm sorry," he said shaking his head. "I knew you weren't coping with Tessa's death. I shouldn't have let it go on."

Richie scowled. "I'm fine. I'm sad she'd dead, but I'm fine. It's not about her."

"You are far from fine," Mac was shaking his head and stepping closer to Richie who retreated a few more paces. "You are avoiding your feelings. I knew you were doing it, but I never expected you to run away from them. I thought I had more time."

"I can't be avoiding what I don't feel. I didn't love her like you did. You're projecting your feelings onto me." Richie was pretty sure he'd heard that on some day time talk show.

"You miss her," Mac said insistently. "And you wish you didn't. So you're trying to feel nothing at all."

"I'm not trying. I don't feel anything at all. She's gone. And my feelings about her are gone with her."

"If that was true you wouldn't be trying to run away from your grief."  
"I'm not grieving!" This was why he had wanted to sneak away without Mac knowing. He had a way of turning the things Richie believed on their head. He _wasn't_ grieving. He _didn't_ feel anything.

"Yes you are, you're in pain and you're trying to deal with it the best way you know how, but this isn't the way. You need to accept your emotions and feel what you feel. It's the only way it will get better."

"I don't want to feel anymore!" Richie shouted, irrationally so angry with Mac all of a sudden. "You can't tell me it's better to feel like everyone else is feeling, that's bullshit!"

"It's part of life Richie, we lose people we love, we have to accept it." Mac tried.

Richie was already shaking his head before the sentence was complete. "No, I don't. I don't have to accept losing anyone if I don't care about anyone. "

"Are you telling me you didn't love Tessa?"

"Nu uh, you're not getting round me that way," Richie refused to be bated. "I know what you're trying to do."

"I'm trying to get you admit you miss her! That you care Richie, because I know you do!"

"No I don't. I don't care about anyone else. And I don't want anyone else to care about me."

"You don't get to decide that." Mac said. "You can't tell me to stop loving you."

"Oh come on. Give it a couple of years you'll barely remember me!" Richie said backing away a few more steps as Mac moved towards him.

"Is that what you think? You disappear and I'll forget about you. Let you go off on your own and self destruct, with no idea how to fight, how to protect yourself? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Mac took another step towards Richie who backed away further.

"You aren't the only Immortal in the world Mac. I can find someone else to teach me."

"Right you'll just walk up to the first one you meet and hope they aren't a psychopath? And you think I'll just carry on and pretend I don't know you're out there?" Mac scoffed.

"I don't care what you do Macleod! I'm still leaving, you can't stop me."

"Oh yes I can. You don't know me at all if you think I'll just let you walk out of my life Richard Ryan! I will not lose you as well! I couldn't save Tessa, but I will save you!"

"I don't need saving!"

"You think I just forget about people when they die? Or when they leave? I don't. I carry every single one of them with me, here," he banged his chest above his heart. Taking another step forward. Richie matched the move and felt the wall at his back. "I remember every one no matter how painful it is, or how much I want to forget them, because we have a duty, as Immortals to keep those we love alive in us."

"Well I can't do that. I'm not strong enough!"

"Yes you are, you just need to let me help you."

"I don't want your help!" Richie pushed at Mac, having nowhere else to retreat to he had to go forward. He tried to move past him but Mac would let him past. He grabbed onto Richie's arms and pushed him back against the wall.

"We aren't finished," he said.

"Yes we are," Richie fought to break free, really fought, but Mac wouldn't let go.

"Get off me!"

"No, not until you've listened to me."

Richie continued struggling against him, "I've heard what you've got to say and I don't care. I don't want to hear anymore!"

"Because you care too much Richie, you care and it's killing you that she's gone. You loved her and you miss her," Mac wasn't shouting now, but his voice was still strong, despite being filled with emotion.

He was so close, still holding on so tightly it hurt, trapping Richie against the wall.

"I don't," It came out as a whisper. He hadn't slept properly for days and had barely eaten. He knew he'd cave before Mac did, but he had to try, had to try and keep up those walls he'd built so painstakingly in the last few days. They were his only protection from the hell that waited on the other side of them.

"Yes you do," Mac said changing his grip on Richie, he was no longer holding onto his arms, but had wrapped his arms around him instead. "And she loved you. So much."

"Then why'd she leave? Like everyone else?" Stupid… She was dead, she hadn't just run off with some new boyfriend and never looked back; she had died. But the end result was the same. She was still gone. And he would still never see her again.

Richie felt Mac take the breath in. "She's only gone if we forget her Rich."

"And what if something happens to you because you're worried about me," Richie found a second wind from somewhere and pushed away from Mac. He didn't try to go anywhere – there was no point, but Mac had to understand, had to know why he should leave…

"What if you die too and I'm left alone? If I go now –"

"I wish I could promise I'll always be there," Mac interrupted, "but we'd both know it was a hope not a guarantee. We may be Immortal but we suffer loss too. And we do die. I can promise you this though, we live longer when we have something to live for. I live for the people I love, no matter how long they are in my life. I lived for Tessa, and I live for you. I will equip you with everything I can for this life, and I will promise to move heaven and Earth to always come back to you. But I will never ever let you just walk away from me. I will never let you be alone because you think it's less painful that way. You are strong enough to do this Richie."

Richie was shaking his head doubtfully. "I don't think I am strong enough. It hurts so much…"

Mac took him by the arms again, gently this time. "And that is why we have family. So when we aren't strong enough they can pick up the slack for us."

The first tear since Tessa had died slid from Richie's eye. "I don't want to miss her…"

"I know," Mac's voice was thick.

"When does it get easier?"

Mac enveloped him in a hug again that this time Richie returned. "Every day it gets a bit easier," he said. "It never goes away, but eventually you learn to live without the piece of you that died with them."

!

A/N – Quick question. I either have a load of chapters left to write, or about two. I either carry this story on to the next part of my plot, or I start a new one as a sequel. Either way it'll all be written I'm just thinking where I'm going next is yet another tangent and is perhaps best suited to its own title. What do you think?

Pls excuse any typos in this chapter – I found it difficult to write and may at a later date come back and edit it, not sure of the flow of the writing either, but for now I'm leaving it as is because otherwise I'll be forever with an update.

Would also just like to say I spent forever trying to decide whether or not to kill Tessa, especially as this is AU I didn't have to and I love her character. But I think it worked better with her dying and kinda liked the Mac/Richie moments in the TV show after she'd died…


	28. The Highlands

Chapter twenty eight

They had stayed in France another week. After that Duncan had decided it was time to go. Rachel and Connor had already returned to New York. Duncan had given Connor's details to the police for them to contact him in case of any news in the case (either of them) as he didn't want them trying to contact him, not with Richie supposedly dead. He had explained to Powell he needed time alone after everything, but that Connor would be able to get in touch if needed. He hadn't told anyone from his life in Seacouver where he was going.

He had given Richie his new passport, the one he had travelled to Paris on was temporary, and Richie wanted to keep his real name. Duncan felt they were moving far enough away that this was doable. But his place of birth and his date of birth were changed. Richie had been unamused with the latter.

"Mac, why does this say I was born in 1975?" Richie demanded on close inspection of his new passport. "Because I didn't think you'd agree to 1976," Mac answered without pausing in his packing.

"I was born in '74 Mac. I'm nineteen."  
"I know. But the younger we start you out the longer we can stay in places."

"This sucks."

Duncan chuckled, taking in Richie's sulky expression, thinking he looked even younger when he did things like that. "It's just one year Richie, and it won't make a difference where we're going. Just try to remember you're eighteen again."

"Great," Richie groused. "I'm gonna be a teenager forever."

"Good job you can carry it off."

"Funny Mac."

!

Duncan had started feeling nostalgic the moment the plane landed in Glasgow. It had been so long since he had been home, but that was still what it felt like – home. Glasgow was of course completely different to the last time he had been here, but the Highlands… He didn't expect them to be too different.

Richie had fallen asleep during the drive. He'd lasted from the plane to the rental car and then about twenty minutes of city roads before nodding off. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully now and Duncan was quite content with the radio on low for company as he slowly wound his way towards the land of his childhood.

The scenery started to improve vastly as soon as he reached Loch Lomond, the point where he felt the lowlands and the highlands met. It was the first glance, the first hint of what the highlands had in store for you. For a fleeting moment he thought about waking Richie up so he could see the change start to take shape in the landscape, but decided against it. Richie hadn't been sleeping well recently and some sleep was better than no sleep. And… constant 'are we nearly there yets?' would get old quickly. So he let Richie sleep on as he made his way through the Trossachs.

By the time he was getting used to the view of snow capped mountains on all sides Richie had started to fidget in his sleep. Within a few minutes Richie was blinking awake and surveying his surroundings.

"Guess I fell asleep," he stated unnecessarily as he yawned and stretched.

"Only for about an hour and a half," Duncan said.

"Really," Richie glanced at his watch. "Guess so. So where are," Richie didn't finish the sentence as he looked out the car window properly for the first time. "Hey, can we stop?"

"Sure," Duncan shrugged, pulling into a small gravel car park a little further down the road.

As soon as the car stooped Richie jumped out and went to the edge of the car park. There was a steep path going down the side of the mountain to the river at the bottom. From that vantage point the valley could be seen in its entirety.

"Wow." Richie breathed the word out, captivated by the view in front of him.

Duncan watched him, a small smile tugging at his lips. He had been a little worried at how Richie would react to the Highlands – being born and bred in a city and never knowing anything else. He had been a little concerned that the relative remoteness of where they were now would bother Richie. So he was feeling relieved that the first thing Richie had seen when waking up was this scene in front of him. And that he had immediately asked Duncan to pull over so he could look at it properly.

Now they stood at the edge of the road together, looking at the picture perfect view of the Great Glen. From Duncan's point of view it looked almost the same as the last time he had seen it nearly two hundred and fifty years ago. Of course this road hadn't been there then, but the valley, the river, the mountains all looked the same.

"You grew up here?" Richie asked, glancing at Duncan then back at the view.

"Not quite. Glenfinnan is about an hours drive further north. This was the MacDonald Clans land. This is Glencoe. Connor and Heather lived here together."

"Really?"

Duncan nodded.

"It's beautiful. How did you stay away so long?"

"The time never seemed right to come home before." Duncan said.

"And it's right now?"

"Now I have someone I want to share it with. Scotland shaped me into the person I am. If I'm going to teach you to be a part of the game then I can't think of a better place for you to learn than where I did."

It was Richie's turn to nod, his face serious. Duncan realized how much Richie had grown up in the past few weeks. How much more responsible he seemed now. Part of Duncan was glad – he would need that if he was going to survive against Immortals hundreds of years older than him, but part of him was sad. Richie was after all still only nineteen, just nineteen at that, and Duncan still wanted him to have some of that care free spirit that he had when he'd first met him.

"Mac?"

Worried some of these thoughts might be evident on his face Duncan tried to school his expression as he made eye contact with Richie.

"It's kinda remote up here, so I just gotta check. There are girls in the Highlands, right?

Duncan actually laughed. Maybe he didn't need to be worrying about that just yet…

"Yes, there are girls." Duncan turned and headed back to the car. "You'll just be too busy to meet any of them."

There was silence for a full three seconds before Duncan heard Richie following behind.

"You're kidding right? Right? Mac?"

Duncan turned, and had Richie nearly run into him. He laughed at the earnest expression.

"C'mon Rich, get in the car, we still have a way to go."

!

Richie eyed the cottage that was to be home for the next who knew how long. It was a white stone house at the end of a short steep driveway. It was surrounded by trees at the back and the front overlooked Loch Shiel. Mac informed him it also had a pond in the back garden. It was decidedly Scottish Richie decided. It felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, but he knew they were only a few minutes walk from the centre of Glenfinnan – though the size of it Richie wasn't sure one pub and one corner shop – that apparently sold everything - could be classed as the centre of anything.

They were a thirty minute drive from Fort William – the nearest largest 'dwelling' Mac had said. Town, Richie would have said. When he'd said that to Mac he'd just rolled his eyes and ignored the comment. But Richie was relieved not be too far from civilization. When Mac had said the nearest city was Inverness – two hours away – he'd been momentarily panicked. He was a city boy at heart. It was what he was used to. This was all new… It didn't mean it was bad it was just going to take a while to get used to the differences.

"You planning on standing outside all day?" Mac asked from the doorway. Apparently while Richie had been pondering outside Mac had let himself in.

Richie headed for the front door. The inside was in stark contrast to the Loft. He stepped into the hallway and saw three doorways heading in different directions, the stirs directly in front of him. The wallpaper was floral, and many different shades of yellow.

"Nice wallpaper." He stated.

"It probably was. In the seventies." Mac agreed.

"I doubt it was nice even then," Richie argued, peering around one of the doors into what was apparently the kitchen. The wallpaper in there was green.

"It needs redecorating," Mac said diplomatically.

"I'll say."

"Look past the wallpaper Rich." Mac instructed.

Richie shot him a dirty look as he looked through the next doorway. This was obviously the lounge and one wall was taken up by a large fireplace. Boxes of their things were piled against the one wall. Their things had been delivered earlier in the week and just needed unpacking. Dutifully ignoring the horrendous brown (brown!) swirly walls Richie tried to imagine what the room could look like. It was spacious and cosy at the same time.

"I guess this rooms cool." He said.

"You guess?" Mac was smiling so Richie figured he hadn't offended his heritage yet.

Richie peeked through the final door. "Dining room?" he asked and looked again when Mac simply nodded. "Looks better than the other rooms." Richie said taking in the bare plaster walls.

"The point Rich, is we can do it up together. Make it into something beautiful."

Oh.

"So let's see upstairs." Richie took the steps two at a time, noting the god awful yellow wallpaper was in the upstairs hallway too.

Four doors up here. Two led to double bedrooms with indescribably awful walls. A third door led into a smaller third bedroom and the fourth into the bathroom.

"So _this_ is nice," Richie said returning now to the room that had boxes with his name all over it inside. The window overlooked the Loch and it was a stunning view.

"Finally something you approve of," Mac said from directly behind him. Richie had known he wouldn't be far away.

"Hey, I approve of the house, just not the walls." Richie grinned.

"Well that won't be a problem for long. We'll start stripping them tomorrow."

"Hard labour huh, this is how my training starts?"

"You're training starts in a couple of weeks," Mac said softly.

"I've already been dead weeks…"

"There's plenty of time to learn how to fight Richie. And I will teach you everything I know, I promise. But I think we both deserve a couple of weeks to just get settled in here."

"It's beautiful here Mac. Thanks for bringing me, and for not giving up on me."

Richie felt Mac's hand on his shoulders. "I happen to think you're worth the effort. Life will still be hard Rich. But have the chance to start fresh, to be whoever we want to be. That's the gift of Immortality. The best part about it."

Richie nodded. Staring out the window at the scene in front of him. A couple of weeks to get used to this, to living here, just the two of them. Time to acclimatize to the changes that had occurred in the last few weeks, before learning how to wield a sword and entering into The Game fully. A glimmer of hope. Maybe life could be good again. Just because it was different didn't mean it was bad. He missed Frankie more than he could say and he doubted he would ever truly be over losing Tessa like that… But maybe he could be happy again, up here in the Highlands of Scotland, learning from the Highlander.

_To be continued. _

A/N So… that's it for Rooftops… I know there are loose ends not tied up… But I have decided a sequel where eventually all questions will be answered is a better plan that making this story epic in length.


End file.
